Navajo t-shirts make a statement

Engineering student turns fashion designer with statement Ts

By Shondiin SilversmithJared Yazzie started out his college career with the intent of becoming an engineer. In fact, he received several scholarships to help him along the way at the University of Arizona.

After two-and-a-half years of working toward his degree, Yazzie, 24, made a drastic change: he switched his major to graphic design.

In the fall of 2009 Yazzie started designing his own T-shirts.

"I was just doing my own design work," Yazzie said.

That is when he developed the brand OxDx for his designs. It stands for "Overdose." He said the name came from how he sees the world because everyone is overdosing themselves with unnecessary things.

"I always thought of a T-shirt as billboarding," Yazzie said. "I just want a way to interact with people, and I think T-shirts are the most interactive tool. I call it a walking billboard."Comment:  For more on Navajo fashion, see Paul Frank Announces Native Collaboration and Navajo Nation Sues Urban Outfitters.