Camouflage Suit
1988 (made)
| Place of origin |
This NATO Arctic camouflage suit 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 the camouflage jacket and trousers; a baseball hat, a Public Enemy cotton t-shirt; a leather holster; a metal belt buckle and leather army boots by Four Star General. It reflected a ‘B-Boy’ style of dress worn by young British men around 1988.
In the late 1980s the black militant look was epitomised by the band Public Enemy. On their first LP, ‘Yo! Bum rush the show’, released in 1987, they were dressed in army camouflage, black berets and held Uzis. This look became popular as an expression of black consciousness. Every conceivable garment was emblazoned with the silhouette and cross-wire logo of Public Enemy.
In the late 1980s the black militant look was epitomised by the band Public Enemy. On their first LP, ‘Yo! Bum rush the show’, released in 1987, they were dressed in army camouflage, black berets and held Uzis. This look became popular as an expression of black consciousness. Every conceivable garment was emblazoned with the silhouette and cross-wire logo of Public Enemy.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Cotton |
| Brief description | Suit: jacket and trousers, camouflage black and grey cotton with a NATO Arctic design, Great Britain, 1988 |
| Physical description | Black and grey cotton NATO Arctic camouflage jacket and trousers |
| 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 'Military-PE B-Boy UK 1988' (includes the belt buckle T.298-1993, the holster T.741-1994, the T-shirt T.1025-1994, the baseball hat T.1026-1994 and the boots T.1027-1994). |
| Historical context | 'Black and grey cotton NATO Arctic camouflage jacket and trousers; baseball hat, cotton t-shirt, Public Enemy; leather holster; metal belt buckle, leather army boots, Four Star General. In the late 1980s the black militant look was epitomised by the band Public Enemy. On their first LP, ‘Yo! Bum rush the show’ released in 1987, they were dressed in army camouflage, black berets and holding Uzis. This look became popular as an expression of black consciousness. Every conceivable garment was emblazoned with the silhouette and cross-wire logo of Public Enemy. Compiled by Normski and Four Star General.' |
| Summary | This NATO Arctic camouflage suit 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 the camouflage jacket and trousers; a baseball hat, a Public Enemy cotton t-shirt; a leather holster; a metal belt buckle and leather army boots by Four Star General. It reflected a ‘B-Boy’ style of dress worn by young British men around 1988. In the late 1980s the black militant look was epitomised by the band Public Enemy. On their first LP, ‘Yo! Bum rush the show’, released in 1987, they were dressed in army camouflage, black berets and held Uzis. This look became popular as an expression of black consciousness. Every conceivable garment was emblazoned with the silhouette and cross-wire logo of Public Enemy. |
| Bibliographic reference | Surfers, Soulies, Skinheads & Skaters : Subcultural Style from the Forties to the Nineties
Described in the exhibition publication, part of an outfit called 'Military-PE B-Boy UK 1988'. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.1023, 1024-1994 |
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| Record created | August 8, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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