These boots 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 baseball hat and shirt by Cross Colours and a denim jacket, jeans, jersey shorts and these boots by Karl Kani. It reflected a style of ‘B-Boy’ dress worn by some young African American and black British men in the early 1990s.

‘B-Boy’ was the name given to young, urban African Americans associated with the rap and hip-hop scene. Cross Colours and Karl Kani were two clothing brands associated with the subculture. Cross Colours was a hip-hop clothing brand created in 1990 in Los Angeles and marketed towards urban African American youth. Its products peaked in popularity between autumn 1992 and spring 1993. Designer Karl Kani made his name as a pioneer of baggy designer jeans and colourful shirts for black male youth in the early 1990s. He founded his own company, Karl Kani Infinity, in 1994.