"The jurors indulged in a break from practicality when reviewing The Tallest Man t-shirt. …” i.d. magazine, 53rd annual design review 2007, p.92.

In 2006 Droog Design launched on its website a

t-shirt competition. Out of the 354 contributions from over 40 countries Droog selected nine finalists. Three winners were selected from a public view.

The Tallest Man came in first. 

Inspired by the tallest man ever–standing at

2.72m– Ruth Spitzer and Sarah Dorkenwald decided to design an adjustable t-shirt as long as the tallest man. The t-shirt – also functioning as a fashionable dress – has 4cm increments allowing height measurement of other objects. These increments are also incisions so that the fabric of the t-shirt can be rolled up and tied together at different heights.

The design is driven by the concept. at first glance it looks very unpractical but it has a charming story and can be understood as an homage to the tallest man. As an icon for human conditions ‘the human touch’ it expresses the core values of the client droog design. Aesthetically, the design reflects simplicity, and symmetry. The printed measurement follows the idea of a perfect, endless order. That’s how the t-shirt makes a difference.