Marc Jacobs’ brilliant melanoma awareness and fundraising t-shirts feature naked celebrity photographs (Winona Ryder, Rufus Wainwright, Julianne Moore, Dita von Teese, Selma Blair, Carolyn Murphy, Naomi Campbell, Hilary Swank, Brandon Boyd, Christy Turlington and Marc Jacobs) and clever slogans such as “protect the skin you’re in,” “protect your largest organ,” and “save your ass.” Proceeds from the sale of t-shirts and the photographs by Brian Bowen Smith go to NYU Interdisciplinary School of Medicine Melanoma Cooperative Group in memory of the late NYU physician Jessie Rubin.

How to identify suspicious moles on your own skin? Look for spots that express ABCD (Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color and Diameter) and also those that are E (Evolving in size, shape, symptoms such as itching or tenderness, surface bleeding, or shades of color). Please take care of your beautiful skin and get it checked out by a dermatologist if anything seems strange — when detected early, melanoma can usually be treated successfully.

More on Marc Jacobs’ store window activism, which actually turns out to be that of his business partner, Robert Duffy.

In-depth looks at celebrity skin conditions by dermatologist and film buff, Vail Reese, M.D., at Skinema.

Related posts:

1. Malignant Mole Bikini
2. NZ Notes: Sorry S.P…. I’m leaving you for Antipodes
3. links for 2006-06-13
4. 460 Degrees Gallery NYC
5. on the love that dare not print its name in helvetica (or god forbid, arial)