Pair of Shoes
1994 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
These Bally leather shoes formed part of an outfit put together for the exhibition Streetstyle, From Sidewalk to Catwalk, 1940 to Tomorrow held at the V&A in 1994-5. The complete outfit consisted of a black Kangol hat; a Gabicci wool cardigan with suede trim (Italy); a silk shirt; a gold necklace with a Nefertiti head pendant; crimplene Farah trousers and these shoes. The outfit reflected a ‘yardie’ style of dress worn by some British men in the early 1980s.
The term ‘yardie’ derives from the slang name given to occupants of government yards in Trenchtown, a neighbourhood in West Kingston, Jamaica. Trenchtown was originally built as a housing project following devastation caused by Hurricane Charlie in 1951. The poverty and crime experienced by many residents led to them becoming known as ‘yardies’, a stigma which yardie style sought to challenge.
Emigration in the 1960s brought yardie style to the UK where it grew increasingly label conscious. Desirable and much worn items include Farah trousers, Gabicci cardigans (‘Yardie cardies’), and shoes by Bally and Pierre Cardin. Jewellery was central to the style, and thick gold rope chains with Nefertiti heads, cannabis leaves, onyx medallions and sovereigns were favourite pieces.
The term ‘yardie’ derives from the slang name given to occupants of government yards in Trenchtown, a neighbourhood in West Kingston, Jamaica. Trenchtown was originally built as a housing project following devastation caused by Hurricane Charlie in 1951. The poverty and crime experienced by many residents led to them becoming known as ‘yardies’, a stigma which yardie style sought to challenge.
Emigration in the 1960s brought yardie style to the UK where it grew increasingly label conscious. Desirable and much worn items include Farah trousers, Gabicci cardigans (‘Yardie cardies’), and shoes by Bally and Pierre Cardin. Jewellery was central to the style, and thick gold rope chains with Nefertiti heads, cannabis leaves, onyx medallions and sovereigns were favourite pieces.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Leather |
| Brief description | Shoes, black leather, Bally, London, Great Britain, 1994 |
| Physical description | Black leather lace-up shoes. |
| Credit line | Given by the manufacturer |
| Object history | Registered File number 1995/1594, Streetstyle exhibition 1994-1995, in the exhibition it was part of an outfit called 'Yardie UK early 1980s' (includes the trousers T.598-1994, the cardigan T.935-1994 and the shoes T.659-1995). This outfit was compiled with the advice of the V&A's security staff for the Streetstyle exhibition of 1994-1995. |
| Historical context | 'Black hat, Kangol; wool cardigan with suede trim, Gabicci, Italian; silk shirt; gold metal necklace with Neferetti head pendant; crimplene trousers, Farah; leather shoes, Bally. The British yardie’s clothing is smart and body and label conscious. Desirable and much worn items include Farah trousers, Gabicci cardigans, ‘Yardie cardies’, and shoes by Bally and Pierre Cardin. Jewellery was central to the style, and thick gold rope chains with Neferetti heads, cannabis leaves, onyx medallions and sovereigns were favourite pieces. Trousers given by Farah. Compiled with the advice of the V&A’s security staff.' |
| Summary | These Bally leather shoes formed part of an outfit put together for the exhibition Streetstyle, From Sidewalk to Catwalk, 1940 to Tomorrow held at the V&A in 1994-5. The complete outfit consisted of a black Kangol hat; a Gabicci wool cardigan with suede trim (Italy); a silk shirt; a gold necklace with a Nefertiti head pendant; crimplene Farah trousers and these shoes. The outfit reflected a ‘yardie’ style of dress worn by some British men in the early 1980s. The term ‘yardie’ derives from the slang name given to occupants of government yards in Trenchtown, a neighbourhood in West Kingston, Jamaica. Trenchtown was originally built as a housing project following devastation caused by Hurricane Charlie in 1951. The poverty and crime experienced by many residents led to them becoming known as ‘yardies’, a stigma which yardie style sought to challenge. Emigration in the 1960s brought yardie style to the UK where it grew increasingly label conscious. Desirable and much worn items include Farah trousers, Gabicci cardigans (‘Yardie cardies’), and shoes by Bally and Pierre Cardin. Jewellery was central to the style, and thick gold rope chains with Nefertiti heads, cannabis leaves, onyx medallions and sovereigns were favourite pieces. |
| Bibliographic reference | Surfers, Soulies, Skinheads & Skaters : Subcultural Style from the Forties to the Nineties
Described in the exhibition publication, part of an outfit called 'Yardie UK early 1980s'. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.659:1, 2-1995 |
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| Record created | May 22, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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