The vital message behind Pedro Pascal’s ‘Protect the Dolls’ T-shirt
It’s more than just a quippy slogan tee. We spoke to designer Conner Ives about the campaign it emerged from
IN THE SPRING of 2023, back when hot boy summer was barely simmering, Pedro Pascal’s red carpet looks predicted what was to come. He was wearing muscle-hugging, cropped cardigans to The Mandalorian premiere, and then dialled the temperature up at the Met Gala, exposing his defined thighs in a pair of Valentino short shorts, flaunted via an Angelina Jolie-esque leg pose.
Since then, the man hasn’t stopped serving looks that tap into, and push, the culture forward. And if his ensemble at last night’s Thunderbolts premiere is anything to go by, he wants his sartorially influence to stretch beyond your wardrobe. Because while his get-up was seemingly more casual, the top he wore on the red carpet was actually a political statement.
Designed by London-based label Conner Ives, the ‘Protect the Dolls’ tee first debuted when the designer wore it for the final bow at his autumn/winter ’25 show. Due to popular demand, Ives put it into production early and is donating all proceeds from the sale of it to Trans Lifeline, a trans-led US-based charity that connects transgender people to a wider community, offering support and resources they need to survive and thrive.
“Pedro [Pascal] and his stylist Julie [Ragolia] were some of the first celebrities that reached out after we debuted this t-shirt,” says Ives. “I’m pretty sure they bought two, which was extremely kind and supportive of this cause. Most of what spurred this whole phenomenon started with people just reaching out and expressing their support of the gesture. I never could have imagined what it would become.”
Troye Sivan and Tom Ford-designer Haider Ackermann have also been publicly endorsing the tee, but it’s messaging is all the more personal for Pascal. His sister, the actor Lux Pascal came out as transgender in 2021, and also wore the shirt for her brother’s 50th birthday party.
“The showing of global support around trans justice is very close to my heart,” adds Pascal’s stylist, Julie Ragolia. “Clothes have the ability to say things about our world. I’m very happy for Pedro, and so many others, to use them as a billboard to express something that should never even need to be said: trans rights are human rights.”
Last week, the UK Supreme Court ruled that the legal definition of a woman is based on biological sex, meaning the endorsement of this tee at the Marvel film’s London premiere was highly intentional and poignant.
Currently, it’s available on a pre-order basis, so you’ll be waiting a few weeks before you can get your hands on one yourself. Yet, there’s no doubt that we’ll be seeing plenty more ‘Protect the Dolls’ tees soon.
Pre-order the ‘Protect the Dolls’ tee here.
This story originally appeared on Esquire UK.
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