Designer Conner Ives, who runs a fashion brand named after him, announced in February that he would sell the now-famous "Protect the Dolls" T-shirt. As reported in April, the shirt raised $70,000 in preorders in less than two months, and before it was even available for sale.
As of September 2025, the "Protect the Dolls" shirt has raised nearly 10 times more than that previous figure.
"I have never been more proud of my team, the supporters of this wider movement, and the countless people that bought this tee," Ives wrote in the caption. "This t-shirt has changed my life, and I’m hoping it will in due course change so many others.
The designer added, "In times like these where every day feels more perilous than the last, I am moved by the humanity of this movement and what it has made possible. This is only the beginning. Protect the dolls forever."
Kai Alivar Horton, Executive Director of Trans Lifeline, wrote an incredible update on how much money the organization has received from Ives' T-shirt so far.
"Since February 26, we have raised and donated over $600,000 so far to Trans Lifeline from the sale of the "Protect the Dolls" t-shirts," Horton revealed. "This money will be used by Trans Lifeline to fund their lite-saving services, as well as mobilizing funds through micro-grants to trans people all over the United States for the first time since 2023."
"There are no words for the gratitude we feel for each of you," Horton's statement concluded. "Thank you for your solidarity, belief, and hope in our work. Be safe, keep fighting, another world is possible."
Troye Sivan; Conner Ives; Honey Dijon and Pedro Pascal Instagram (@troyesivan; @connerives ives; @pascalispunk)
The "Protect the Dolls" T-shirt was introduced in Conner Ives' Autumn/Winner 2025 fashion show, worn by the designer himself. It didn't take long for customers to ask Ives to actually sell the shirt on his namesake brand's official website.
By popular demand, Ives did eventually release the "Protect the Dolls" T-shirt on the brand's website. However, no one could've predicted the massive wave of support received by this clothing item that became a symbol of resistance.
On a more specific note, the "Protect the Dolls" T-shirt is "made of a 100% organic cotton and is printed in the U.K." Moreover, it is sold on ConnerIves.com — though the product is currently sold out in all sizes (extra small, small, medium, large, XL, and XXL.
From the very start, Ives stated that all proceeds from the "Protect the Dolls" shirt would be donated to Trans Lifeline — "a trans-lead U.S.-based charity that delivers life-saving services to those who need them most. The hotline connects trans people to a wider community, offering support and resources they need to survive and thrive."
A resource like this has been particularly important in recent years given the dismissal and erasure of trans people under President Donald Trump's second term in the White House."
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