Not currently on display at the V&A

Jamie Reid archive

T-Shirt
1976 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This t-shirt was from the Seditionaries collection and was worn in performance by Johnny Rotten, singer with the Sex Pistols. It features a screen print of the artwork, designed by Jamie Reid, used in the promotion of the Pistols first single, Anarchy in the U.K.. Rotten cut the sleeves off himself, leaving frayed edges.

Jamie Reid (b. 1947), developed his cut-and-paste aesthetic from his interest in radical politics. His artistic style developed while at art college in Croydon, where he was influenced by the ideas of the avant-garde political group, the Situationist International. The political slant to his art was aroused by the May 1968 Paris student riots, which inspired fraternal protests organised by Reid at the Croydon College of Art. These were directed with fellow student Malcolm McLaren (1946-2010), later to become the manager of the Sex Pistols.

From 1971, McLaren managed a boutique on King's Road in Chelsea, selling clothes designed by himself and Vivienne Westwood. It originally sold Teddy Boy styles, and was called Let It Rock. The name was changed in 1972 to Too Fast To Live Too Young To Die, and in 1974 it was renamed SEX. McLaren had been heavily influenced by the Punk scene coming out of New York at the time, and the designs sold took on fetish and bondage influences. The Sex Pistols were named after this shop, but with a name change in 1976, the shop and label became Seditionaries, just as the Pistols were becoming famous. The boutique was refurbished as Worlds End at the beginning of 1981 and remains in this incarnation.


Object details

Category
Object type
TitleJamie Reid archive (named collection)
Materials and techniques
Printed cotton
Brief description
Sex Pistols sleeveless white t-shirt, printed with Anarchy in the UK artwork, designed by Jamie Reid, Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood. Altered and worn by Johnny Rotten. Jamie Reid archive.
Physical description
Off white cotton t-shirt with seams on outside. Sleeves have been cut off and colour screen print of a design by Jamie Reid of Union flag with bull dog clips and safety pins and typography in ransom note style. Slightly stained around waist.
Dimensions
  • Measurements lying flat height: 49cm
  • Measurements lying flat width: 42cm
  • Height: 1480 (Note: footprint, adjustable)
  • Width: 420mm (Note: footprint)
  • Depth: 400mm (Note: footprint)
Marks and inscriptions
ANARCHY / IN THE U.K. / SeX PiSTOLS
Subjects depicted
Summary
This t-shirt was from the Seditionaries collection and was worn in performance by Johnny Rotten, singer with the Sex Pistols. It features a screen print of the artwork, designed by Jamie Reid, used in the promotion of the Pistols first single, Anarchy in the U.K.. Rotten cut the sleeves off himself, leaving frayed edges.

Jamie Reid (b. 1947), developed his cut-and-paste aesthetic from his interest in radical politics. His artistic style developed while at art college in Croydon, where he was influenced by the ideas of the avant-garde political group, the Situationist International. The political slant to his art was aroused by the May 1968 Paris student riots, which inspired fraternal protests organised by Reid at the Croydon College of Art. These were directed with fellow student Malcolm McLaren (1946-2010), later to become the manager of the Sex Pistols.

From 1971, McLaren managed a boutique on King's Road in Chelsea, selling clothes designed by himself and Vivienne Westwood. It originally sold Teddy Boy styles, and was called Let It Rock. The name was changed in 1972 to Too Fast To Live Too Young To Die, and in 1974 it was renamed SEX. McLaren had been heavily influenced by the Punk scene coming out of New York at the time, and the designs sold took on fetish and bondage influences. The Sex Pistols were named after this shop, but with a name change in 1976, the shop and label became Seditionaries, just as the Pistols were becoming famous. The boutique was refurbished as Worlds End at the beginning of 1981 and remains in this incarnation.
Collection
Accession number
S.794-1990

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Record createdJanuary 7, 2010
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