Jamaica, Queens, New York in the mid 1980s. Rappers, celebrities and hip hop fans came from all over the city to get their own customized T-shirt by the Shirt Kings. The style traveled all over the world through record covers and music videos, and the Shirt Kings designs soon became synonymous with hip hop and the culture of making something out of nothing. Shirt Kings: Pioneers of Hip Hop Fashion looks at the early days of street wear through the lens of the pioneering group of artistic entrepreneurs known as the Shirt Kings. By adapting the graffiti skills from the trains and spray cans to shirts and airbrush they created a new look for a new generation. Edwin PHADE Sacasa is a founding artist of the group and it is through his archives that we are transported to the 1980s in New York City where the fashion was loud, colorful, and filled with cartoon imagery. But not just any cartoon imagery for the cartoons where urbanized. Mickey Mouse with a Fila suit, Casper the Friendly Ghost w

Details

ISBN13: 9789188369789
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 144
Edition:
Publication Date: 18 May 2023
Publisher: Dokument Forlag
Publication City, Country: Arsta, Sweden
Dimensions (cm): 22.5(H) x 17(L)
Weight (gm):

Author Biography

Born in East New York, Brooklyn, Edwin PHADE Sacasa founded the Shirt Kings in the mid 1980s, where he serviced many of today's Hip Hop stars and pioneers, such as Jay Z and Run DMC. PHADE is working with youth in the inner city and have developed a program that teaches urban fashion through art therapy and entrepreneur skills. Alain KET is an artist, photographer, author, artistic consultant, marketing professional and frequent lecturer on the topic of graffiti. Rapper, 3rd Bass

Reviews

"Phade and the Shirt Kings are pioneers of hip hop fashion, also it is duly noted that the graffiti element has been elevated and made fashionable thru their airbrushing work." -- RZA
"Phade has been my go to guy since the eighties for all airbrush collabos!" -- Dapper Dan
"Shirt Kings brought the hip hop element into the clothes for real and integrated it, and it was the first time I saw hip hop culture completely merged with clothing." -- LL Cool J
"They would transform your whole look into a superstar." -- Nas
"The Shirt Kings network was fashion TV of the times, and advertising and promotion way before it became trendy." -- Chuck D