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About Us
The Design
Designed and hand drawn by West Melbourne artist, Jess McDonald, High Tees feature portraits of iconic, heroic Australians and some Kiwis too.
From Bob to Kylie, Lee Lin to Cathy. There is a range of iconic and symbolic Australian flora and fauna – wombats to clown fish, quokkas to tassie devils. Plus Australian innovations, inventions, political trailblazers, iconic places.
- A proud Social Enterprise, we design funky, feminist, Australiana and political punchy tees to raise money for the causes we care about.
- High Tees has been worn by Cate Blanchett, Em Rusciano, Bernard and Stephen Curry, Rob Mills, Clementine Ford, Michelle Law, Michael Lucas, Van Badham, Valerie Taylor to name a few.
- Proudly designed and printed in Melbourne. Our apparel and accessories are ethically and sustainably sourced and all certified child labour free.
How It Started
Our founder Jess lives in black jeans with her trusty hot pink converse and an ever-changing wardrobe of t-shirts. But she could never really find a t-shirt that was original, fun, a little quirky, and not a slogan tee (though there's always a place for a slogan tee!). More importantly, she couldn't find one that also ticked all the boxes ethically, politically, and sustainably.So she sought to create her own t-shirt label.
It had been a long time since Jess was at her drawing board. Despite studying art at university, Jess had pursued a career in retail which had taken her all over the world. So as she was on maternity leave, Jess picked up her beloved copic markers and started drawing again. Portraits were always Jess’ favourite thing to draw and she was keen to celebrate amazing Australians doing amazing things. And just like that High Tees was born.
Celebrating Australian Icons
Certified Child-labor Free
Social Enterprise
Printed to Order to Reduce waste
Designed & Printed in Melbourne
Meet the Founder
High Tees was founded by artist and retail leader Jess McDonald. With a background in global retail and a passion for social change, Jess combines art with activism. Through her hand drawn designs, Jess creates wearable pieces that champion equality, celebrate diversity, and highlight the beauty of the natural environment.
Drawing on artistic inspiration from artists such as Chuck Close, Gerhard Richter, Ansel Adams, Masashi Kishimoto, Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, Helmut Newton, David LaChapelle, Ellen Von Unwerth, Jess' style is distinctive and graphic. Jess's style, working mainly in black and white with subtle pops of color, makes High Tees recognisable anywhere.
It was vitally important for Jess to create a brand that had a social impact. After years of working in cosmetics, Jess wanted to bring her passion for ethical work practices and impactful retailing to High Tees.The Social Enterprise model works brilliantly because it allows High Tees to operate sustainably while supporting our favourite causes.
From the very beginning, Jess wanted a business that
Gave back to the community and supported causes she cared about. This commitment led High Tees to be a Social Enterprise from day one.
Was as ethically and sustainably produced as commercially possible.
Created and reacted in the moment, whether drawing from a brilliant customer suggestion or creating art based on current events. We always strive to stay in step with the community's heartbeat.
Shone a very bright light on amazing women, celebrating both well-known trailblazers and women who should be household names.
Art Meets Activism
Every design begins as a hand-drawn illustration in Jess’s studio. The result is a collection of t-shirts, tote bags, mugs, tea towels, hoodies and more that are bold, original, and sustainable fashion you can be proud of.
To date we have donated over $35,000 to the following Charities:
- Asylum Seekers Resource Centre (ASRC)
- West Welcome Wagon
- The GO Foundation
- WIRES Wildlife Rescue
- The Grace Tame Foundation
- Friends with Dignity
- Australian Marine Conservation Society
High Tees artwork has also graced the walls of Melbourne's iconic street art mecca, Hosier Lane, as part of the 2023 and 2024 International Women's Day Art Installations.
Wear Your Hero
Each High Tees design tells a story. From Australian feminist trailblazers to Aussie cultural icons, our ethical t-shirts celebrate the everyday rebels, activists, change makers who have positively shaped our culture. We also want to shine a spotlight on our iconic places, beloved native wildlife and the curious quirks and things that make Australia unique.
Creating Local Stories
Our Australiana t-shirts celebrate the incredible people, places, and native animals that shape life in Australia. Whether featuring a cultural hero or a beloved koala, our tees bring Australian stories to life.
