Is That Gonorrhea You're Wearing?

When Dr. Roger Freeman of Encino, Calif., was making a video about disease prevention, he had a run-in with herpes. But it's not what you think: He was given a silk tie with a microscope-view of the sexually transmitted disease printed on it by a writer working on the video. Roger was so totally impressed with the neckwear, he bought the company, added boxers and scarves, renamed it Infectious Awareables, and decided to contribute some of his future profits to disease research. The whole point of his efforts is to help educate the public about diseases, so information on each contagion is included. "I have a great time getting the message across," comments Roger. For $40 per tie, you too can get the message across to the new person you're sleeping with-via 100 percent pure silk chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, gonorrhea and HIV; just go to www.infectiousawareables.com. "The gonorrhea [one] is the best-looking, in my opinion," Roger notes. "The syphilis is gorgeous, too." For what it's worth, I'm grooving on the herpes scarf (also $40), because the amoeba-ish design looks very Liberty of London/Pucci-esque.

JANE NOVEMBER 1999
Photography: Scarf, Adam Levey