Conner Ives and MAC Cosmetics Link up to Bring Back the "Protect the Dolls" Tee
We talked to the designer and MAC’s global creative director Nicola Formichetti about the launch.
After first making its debut at Conner Ives‘ Fall/Winter 2025 show at London Fashion Week, the “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt became an overnight sensation. Although the designer dreamed up the tee the night before the collection debuted, it symbolized much more than just a fleeting moment worn by the likes of Addison Rae and Charli XCX — it was an outright way to advocate for the trans community in a political climate that undermined their right to exist.
Harping on this, MAC Cosmetics, known for its history of advocacy with VIVA GLAM, has announced a partnership with Ives. In addition to re-releasing the beloved “Protect the Dolls” shirt, the brand is also dropping limited-edition lipsticks with the same slogan. Emphasized by MAC’s global creative director Nicola Formichetti, 100% of the proceeds will benefit LGBTQIA+ organizations, in an attempt to further Ives’ message of advocacy over virality.
In celebration of the launch, MAC tapped a cast of trailblazing dolls to star in the campaign. The brand called upon Dominique Jackson, Josephine DuPont, Ivy Stewart and Green Kim. At its core, the collaboration encourages wearers to go beyond just purchasing a T-shirt. Above all else, Conner Ives hopes that everyone who proudly wears “Protect the Dolls” across their chest is able to speak to trans advocacy. “No one gets it for free,” Ives tells Hypebae.
The “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt retails for $100 USD and the limited-edition MACximal Silky Matte VIVA GLAM Lipstick retails for $25 USD — both will be available for purchase on the brand’s website.
Ahead, we speak to Conner Ives and Nicola Formichetti about what the partnership means to them.
What was the inspiration behind the “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt?
Ives: The T-shirt was thought of basically at 10 p.m. the night before my Fall/Winter 2025 show. At the time, the new administration in America had just been appointed — they were ripping through the rights and laws from our friends and our family, and I felt just really helpless.
I was really trying to figure out a way to speak to the helplessness without that feeling [of] emptiness that fashion activism can sometimes bring. I wore it for my bow. It wasn’t even in the show, but it stole the show, and I was so grateful that it did. We went on to raise over $600,000 for Trans Lifeline — and here we are now with MAC VIVA GLAM. It’s an incredible next step for us.
Were you surprised by the response?
Ives: It was definitely overwhelming. Nicola and I have kind of been talking about this a lot, but we realized the secret in it was the way that we presented the fundraiser aspect of it. We didn’t keep any of the profits from the shirt, and all the celebrities that wore it and posted about it paid for them. That was the cornerstone of this movement. I was like, “No one gets this for free.”
Where did the idea to partner with MAC VIVA GLAM come from?
Formichetti: I was a huge fan of what Conner was doing and with his “Protect the Dolls” initiative. It genuinely touched me and and spoke to me in a very personal way, and at the right time. So when I first joined MAC, I wanted my first collaboration to be something very special. With VIVA GLAM, 100% of proceeds go to charity — and that’s what Conner was doing. I wanted to create a bigger stage for that [using] the power of VIVA GLAM, so that two powerhouses could come together and do something even bigger.
Do you hope the collaboration encourages people to learn about trans advocacy?
Ives: Absolutely. What we realized was that as big as that moment was, our platform is [much smaller] compared to an entity like MAC, and I think the mission for this movement has always been to get it in front of as many eyes as possible. Whether or not someone will buy the T-shirt is almost out of the question. I think it’s more so we want you to buy the T-shirt, but we want the message to reach as far and wide as possible. What the shirt did so brilliantly was it started a lot of conversations around, “What does the term dolls mean? Where does it come from?”
I think it’s important that people know that 100% of proceeds go back to trans organizations. It’s a conversation starter, it’s very important to educate yourself. It’s one thing for people to be like, “Where did you get the shirt?” But it’s a whole other thing for them to say, “What does it mean?” We would ask everyone that buys the T-shirt to understand the deeper meaning of “Protect the Dolls.”
Do you believe fashion and beauty is inherently political?
Formichetti: We have a superpower to do something that is bigger than what we do, because we talk about culture and what’s happening [in the world], and it can really affect people. I love when people get together, especially in fashion and beauty, and do something good. In a way, VIVA GLAM started that back in the day, and it was so powerful that people still talk about it. We’re just continuing that legacy, and by collaborating with someone like Conner, who speaks to the youth and [is able to] modernize the messaging — it’s a really beautiful thing.
