This design comes from a Soviet propaganda poster from 1961, originally by Soviet graphic artists Oleg Dmitrievich Maslyakov (О. Д. Масляков) and Efim Semyonovich Tsvik (Е. С. Цвик) and published by the (confusingly named) publisher Soviet Artist. The text on the design reads: "6 August 1961" and the text at the bottom reads: "I dedicate my flight to you, XXII Party Congress! Cosmonaut Major Titov" which comes from his preflight statement.
On 6 August 1961, Cosmonaut Gherman Titov's Vostok 2 was the second successful human orbital mission in history, following Yuri Gagarin's Vostok 1 four months earlier. Titov remained aloft for 25 hours and 18 minutes and completed 17 orbits, which was a big improvement over Gagarin's 108-minute orbit, and an impressive leap forward for manned space flight. Titov was 25 years - still the youngest person to go into Earth's orbit.
The 22nd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union wasn't actually held until October 17–31, 1961, more than two months after Titov's flight. The congress adopted the CPSU's new Third Program, the great Khrushchev-era attempt to lay out a concrete program for the transition from 'socialism' to 'full communism'. Viewed in its historical context, this poster serves as an excellent example of an optimistic Soviet society in the midst of the rapid technological progress and Khrushchev's reforms of the 1960's.
This poster had at least a 45,000-copy print run, so it's not particularly rare, but it is still very historically interesting.
Note: This restoration was specifically based on a 1963 printing of the originally designed 1961 poster.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, feel free to hit me up and let me know! I also do custom work, so if you want something specifically made, I can do just about anything!
*Dark color clothes may have a white underbase to enhance visibility, except for 'asphalt' and 'dark heather' colors, which are intended for a subtle, less visible print. Because of the fabric, the “white” color may be closer to a slightly off-white than bright white. The “natural” color option contains dark color speckles in the fabric, which do not show up clearly in the preview photos.
All clothing is unisex unless stated otherwise in the title or description.
Check the size guide before you buy. Custom printed clothing that is made-to-order is not eligible for return unless it arrives damaged or with some kind of problem.
• 100% ring-spun cotton
• Fabric weight: 6.1 oz./yd.² (206.8 g/m²)
• Garment-dyed with salt-free pigments for a soft feel and low shrinkage
• Relaxed fit
• Tubular construction, no side seams