Wednesday, March 25, 2015

STYLE: SHIRTKINGS

One of my favourite books I've had lying around for a while is Shirtkings, Pioneers of Hip Hop Fashion. The book is a trip down memory lane to when customization and art reigned supreme in New York City. Jamaica, Queens, New York in the mid 1980s.

The Mighty Shirt Kings adapted graffiti skills from NYC trains and spray cans to shirts and airbrush and created a new look for a new generation. Edwin PHADE Sacasa is a founding artist of the group and through his archives you're transported to the 1980s in New York City where the fashion of the day was loud, colourful, and filled with cartoon imagery on clothes; but not just any cartoon imagery, the cartoons where urbanized. Mickey Mouse with a Fila suit, Casper the Friendly Ghost with gold teeth, Roger Rabbit with a flat top hair do and Pink Panther with gold chains and guns.

Rappers from all over would be linnig up to have their shirts customised by The Shirt Kings. DJ Red Alert to LL Cool J to Big Daddy Kane to Mike Tyson all had to have their Shirt Kings designs back in the day!