Prisoner of Conscience
Updated: Oct 7, 2019
By Myles Murray and Noah John
Albany, NY
https://www.instagram.com/prisonerofconscience_/
pris·on·er of con·science
noun
a person who has been imprisoned for holding political or religious views that are not tolerated by their own government.
Established in 2019, Prisoner of Conscience is a singular plane lifestyle and streetwear brand for both men and women. To us, a “prisoner of conscience” is a person who has been imprisoned, physically or mentally, for challenging established order. This term may also be interpreted in countless other ways. Given the vast injustice that exists both historically and in the world today, we hope our supporters will reinterpret this term to represent themselves. The world has seen countless people embody this term and become legends. Their conviction is what truly inspired us to create this brand. The mindset and direction of these people will be embodied in every article of clothing we produce.
“New Slaves” Tee
“I throw these Maybach keys, I wear my heart on the sleeve, I know that we the new slaves
I see the blood on the leaves”
For our very first piece, we designed a white tee shirt featuring a young Kanye West and lyrics from his 2013 record “New Slaves.” We believe Kanye embodies Prisoner of Conscience through his efforts to maintain complete creative control over his work. In “New Slaves,” Kanye discusses how corporations have attempted to control him and profit off of his artistry, while controlling the masses with the allure of material objects. He also expresses a more explicit political stance on this track, calling out the injustice of mass incarceration, driven by the war on drugs, privately owned prisons, and demand for prison labor. Although slavery has long been formally abolished in the United States, Kanye professes that corporations now have different methods to maintain control of both workers and consumers.
To see more shots from this collection, check out Prisoner of Conscience on Instagram @prisonerofconscience_
https://www.instagram.com/prisonerofconscience_/