T-shirts are a closet staple, but let’s be honest – aside from the graphics, there isn’t much variety going on there. Most t-shirts fit the same because they are are the same – a wicked graphic screened onto an American Apparel or Hanes tee. Blue Platypus goes beyond that. Besides designing the graphics themselves, the husband-and-wife duo create cut and sew garments with custom dyes. The result is a line of tees that fit beautifully, are soft to the touch, and bring unparalleled style to the comfort of a (formally) basic tee.

Heidi and Scooter give us the run-down on their line.

Tell us about your background. How did you get started designing?
Heidi decided against becoming a doctor in favor of attending fashion school in LA while Scooter, a commercial SCUBA diver, decided to begin a career in aerospace in LA. We met, got married, and started Blue Platypus clothing after doing a couple of costume design projects and an internship.

What is the philosophy/inspiration for your line?
Our goal is to create custom garments. We employ custom sewing, dyeing and printing, and featuring 100% original graphics on our original silhouettes. Also, we love the fact that we produce everything right here in Los Angeles. Our quality is superb.

We have many inspirations. We love vintage art, album covers, mid-century furniture and color combinations of different eras. We love textural elements and try to incorporate many of them, like flocking and foil, into the line.

How did you come up with “Blue Platypus”?
We wanted something memorable and intriguing. The platypus, it turns out, is an extremely interesting animal– it’s an egg-laying mammal with fur (very unusual), the female has a poisonous spike on the back of her hind legs (can kill a small dog), and the platypus just generally seems like a wonder of evolution. We feel it mirrors our unusual approach to things– yes, we’re a t-shirt line, but it’s more than that. We wanted to combine wit, whimsy, wearability, and a childish sense of wonder in our pieces.

Do you have a favorite piece>
Probably the Dandylion. She is our classic flower/afro girl. We have done her in 1-, 2-, and 3-color flocking, woodgrain, polka dot, paisley, and now florals…

Who are your favorite designers?
Our favorite designers include Ray and Charles Eames for their fantastic furniture and textiles; Nanette Lepore; Oilily for their use of color; and Ben Sherman for men’s stuff. We also love Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry’s architecture.

What is coming up for you?
Some cute trompe l’oeil pieces with flocked bows, collars, sailor details, and foil sailor buttons, and more crazy Dandylions and paper-cut inspired artwork.

With price points starting at $20, Blue Platypus tees are a great piece of couture that fits any budget. Head over to Blue-Platypus.com to order yours.