Sweatshirt
1990 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This ‘African-American Alumni’ cotton sweatshirt formed part of an outfit put together by photographer and DJ Normski and hiphop clothing suppliers Four Star General 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 ‘Zulu Nation’ baseball cap; a ‘Four Star General’ cotton and corduroy jacket and trousers; the sweatshirt; three pendants and ‘Timberland’ leather boots. The outfit reflected a style of ‘Afrocentric B-Boy’ dress worn by young men in Britain around 1990.
‘Afrocentric’ describes the celebration of African culture by African-Americans in the late 1980s. The movement was popularised by US bands such as Arrested Development, Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest whose clothes and accessories reflected their African heritage. This outfit includes a pendant in the shape of the African continent, a jacket and trousers with kente-cloth style edging and a string of ‘trade beads’ (glass beads historically made in Europe for trade in West Africa).
‘B-Boy’ was the name given to young, urban African-Americans associated with the Rap and Hip-Hop scene. The term came into usage in Britain through hit singles by Run DMC and the Beastie Boys. It was associated with labelled sports clothes, specific brands of trainers, baseball caps and chunky jewellery.
‘Afrocentric’ describes the celebration of African culture by African-Americans in the late 1980s. The movement was popularised by US bands such as Arrested Development, Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest whose clothes and accessories reflected their African heritage. This outfit includes a pendant in the shape of the African continent, a jacket and trousers with kente-cloth style edging and a string of ‘trade beads’ (glass beads historically made in Europe for trade in West Africa).
‘B-Boy’ was the name given to young, urban African-Americans associated with the Rap and Hip-Hop scene. The term came into usage in Britain through hit singles by Run DMC and the Beastie Boys. It was associated with labelled sports clothes, specific brands of trainers, baseball caps and chunky jewellery.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Printed cotton |
Brief description | Sweatshirt, printed cotton, 'Malcolm X', USA, 1990; part of Afrocentric B-Boy outfit (Streetstyle exhibition), UK, ca. 1900. |
Physical description | Cotton sweatshirt printed with 'Malcolm X' design. |
Dimensions |
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Object history | Registered File number 1994/1708, Streetstyle exhibition 1994-1995, in the exhibition it was part of an outfit called 'Afrocentric B-Boy UK c1990' (includes the boots T.194-1990, the suit, jacket T.1033-1994 and trousers T.1034-1994, and the baseball cap T.1035-1994). |
Summary | This ‘African-American Alumni’ cotton sweatshirt formed part of an outfit put together by photographer and DJ Normski and hiphop clothing suppliers Four Star General 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 ‘Zulu Nation’ baseball cap; a ‘Four Star General’ cotton and corduroy jacket and trousers; the sweatshirt; three pendants and ‘Timberland’ leather boots. The outfit reflected a style of ‘Afrocentric B-Boy’ dress worn by young men in Britain around 1990. ‘Afrocentric’ describes the celebration of African culture by African-Americans in the late 1980s. The movement was popularised by US bands such as Arrested Development, Jungle Brothers and A Tribe Called Quest whose clothes and accessories reflected their African heritage. This outfit includes a pendant in the shape of the African continent, a jacket and trousers with kente-cloth style edging and a string of ‘trade beads’ (glass beads historically made in Europe for trade in West Africa). ‘B-Boy’ was the name given to young, urban African-Americans associated with the Rap and Hip-Hop scene. The term came into usage in Britain through hit singles by Run DMC and the Beastie Boys. It was associated with labelled sports clothes, specific brands of trainers, baseball caps and chunky jewellery. |
Bibliographic reference | Surfers, Soulies, Skinheads & Skaters : Subcultural Style from the Forties to the Nineties
Described in the exhibition publication, part of an outfit called 'Afrocentric B-Boy UK c1990'. |
Collection | |
Accession number | T.1032-1994 |
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Record created | August 1, 2007 |
Record URL |
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