Starting Conversations | About Our Conversation Starters Capsule

Our Conversation Starters collection is a capsule of subtle yet thought-provoking pieces designed to make a quiet statement while inviting intrigue and starting a dialogue about the subjects that matter to us most. 

Here, AKYN founder and creative director Amy Powney shares the ethos behind the collection.

Our Conversation Starters collection – a capsule of slogan tees, vests, shirts and knits – is designed to gently invite curiosity, spark dialogue, and plant seeds of change. The pieces are not loud or aggressive. They're soft, hopeful, and made to be worn with pride, like a badge of quiet defiance or powerful optimism. The kind that makes someone lean in and ask, "What does that mean?"

"I’ve always felt that some activist clothing can feel too loud or harsh – and often not made to last. I wanted to flip that. So, we created pieces that feel good to wear, are made with care, and quietly say something – so that someone might ask, “What does that mean?” That’s where change can begin."

Each piece tells a story, holds an idea, and offers a space for dialogue:

Peace/Love: Our cable knit jumpers are the foundation upon which this capsule was built, created as a reaction to the heaviness of the world. Collections 001 and 002 drew inspiration from the River Phoenix lyric: "Run to the rescue with love and peace will follow.” It’s a sentiment that feels especially needed right now.

Girl Moss: Embroidered onto our Adria T-shirt, 'Girl Moss' is a playful evolution from Girl Boss – still strong, still ambitious, but rooted and connected to Mother Earth.

Soil Not Oil: Embroidered onto our Adria Black T-shirt, 'Soil Not Oil' speaks to AKYN’s fibre and brand philosophy, and is a call to regenerate, rather than extract.

E(ART)H: Our Adria and Lucy T-shirts are embroidered with ‘EARTH’ in two-tone embroidery, with the ‘E’ and ‘H’ blending subtly with the fabric, while ‘ART’ stands out in contrasting stitching. This serves as a visual reminder that creativity and the planet are intrinsically linked. Earth is Art, and “Earth without Art is just ‘eh’.” At AKYN, we want to make art in alignment with the Earth, not at its expense.

EARTH / ART / HEART: Printed onto our Lucy White T-Shirt, this slogan celebrates the deep connection between creativity, humanity, and the planet (and highlights the fact that Earth and Heart are anagrams of one another).

HE(ART): Embroidered onto our Lucy Black T-Shirt, with the ‘H’ and 'E' blending subtly with the fabric, while ‘ART’ stands out in contrasting stitching, signifying that empathy and love is the base from which we all need to create.

"Conversation Starters is all about making subtle statements on beautifully crafted (and sustainable) clothing, wearing our morals on our chests in a gentle way to spark conversations. In my experience, this is the best approach to changing hearts and minds. Ethics become our logos."

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