Hamnett, Katharine (1947– )

English fashion designer. Her oversized T-shirts promoting peace and environmental campaigns became popular in the mid-1980s, especially in the UK and Italy. She produces inexpensive designs for men and women, predominantly in natural fabrics, inspired by work attire and social movements.

She was born in Gravesend, Kent, and graduated from the Central Saint Martin's College of Art and Design in London. She founded her own label, pioneering stonewashed and stretch denim jeans, in 1979. Her ‘Frankie Says Relax’ T-shirt, inspired by the rock group Frankie Goes to Hollywood's hit single ‘Relax’, became a popular culture icon of the 1980s.