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The T-shirt is a staple of the American wardrobe, worn by pretty much everyone at one time or another. It’s a sort of common denominator in a culture marked by differences. On this edition, we’ll hear how three T-shirt designers use the garments as a way to fight racism, communicate cultural identity, and mourn friends who’ve passed away.

This show has been a special collaboration between National Radio Project and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Thanks to student producer, Jacob Fenston who wrote and edited this show under the guidance of independent media producer and UC Berkeley journalism lecturer, Claire Schoen.

Featuring:

Inez Brooks-Myers, Oakland Museum of California Curator of Costume and Textiles; Eric K. Arnold, Bay Area arts and culture writer; Ryan Suda, Black Lava Clothing owner and founder; David Sanchez, Native Graphix/HOMEY master printer; Mauricio Quijada, Native Graphix/HOMEY printmaker; Jordan Perez, HOMEY intern; René Quiñones, HOMEY executive director; Nautiks, Filthy Dripped co-owner; 510 Airbrush, Filthy Dripped airbrush artist; Friends and Family of Creon Burns Jr.; dozens of t-shirt wearers in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, Fresno, Santa Monica, Gardena and Los Angeles.

Executive Producer/Host: Tena Rubio
Contributing Producer: Jacob Fenston
Producer and Associate Producer: Andrew Stelzer and Puck Lo
Interns: Elena Botkin-Levy, Aubrey Green
Executive Director: Lisa Rudman

Source: http://www.radioproject.org/archive/2008/2308.html

Punk fashion is one of the styles of streetwear that got it’s start in the 1970s. The style has evolved over many years of refinement and change, and is quite different from what it was originally, yet it still retains some of it’s roots. Originally, punk fashion was supposed to be aggressive, confrontational, and shocking. It was the style of rebels, and this was an ideal that has prevailed through punk’s history.

Early punk clothing was designed by Vivienne Westwood, and Malcolm McLaren, and was also inspired by such punk icons as the Ramones, Richard Hell, and the Bromley Contingent. Offensive imagery was important in early punk clothing, with images and phrases placed on clothing that was designed to catch eyes and scare people. Anarchy symbols, fake blood, and inverted crucifixes could be found on clothes in stores like SEX, and early punk clothing store. Often times, punk clothing was intentionally torn, a trend that continues into today, and covered in patches. Another early style was wearing leather rocker jackets and special blazers, patched and customized by the individual. Blazers are still a large part of the punk scene. The inclusion of blazers and the dress shirts that were also common shows that the punk scene was something that was, in it’s essence, a counter culture movement, and these clothes show that.

When it came to foot wear, people wore motorcycle boots, Chuck Taylor All-Stars, and other kinds of boots. Pants were often tight, and often leather, though tight jeans were very common aspects of punk apparel. Hair styles were messy intentionally, and styles like liberty spikes and mohawks were very common. Unfortunately, symbols found on early punk clothing were often racist, such as iron crosses or swastikas, this, however, changed in the mid 70s with Rock Against Racism, a campaign to eliminate racism among the rock and punk cultures. Luckily, the campaign succeeded, and to this day, punk culture is decidedly anti-facist, and anti racist, often containing things like crossed out swastikas in modern punk outfits.

Among women, early punk style could include ripped fishnet stockings, leather, and a large amount of facial piercings, something that men also sported. Also, punks who were women often sported feminine clothing mixed with masculine items, such as tutus and blazers or boots. There were also a large percentage of vegetarian and vegan punks, who did not wear fur and leather due to animal rights reasons. Punk clothing also saw the use of items like safety pins and tape to hold together clothing that had been torn and ripped on purpose, and even saw items like garbage bags being used as clothing.

All of these things moved towards the idea that punks were not normal, and they did not want to be. Also, none of these fashion items would have stuck around if not for the punk culture being supported by the vibrant music scene which fed it originally. Today, punk has changed a lot, but is also very similar, in many ways, to the punk designs of the 70s.

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In the early 90s, hip hop fashion became influenced by traditional African dress. Bright colors, large pants, and head wear were all heavily influenced by this style of dress. Micheal Jordan also became a big name in the hip hop fashion game, and Nike continued to drive the sports wear side of the culture. Starter Jackets also became popular, and in fact became something of a status symbol among hip hop enthusiasts, as they were stolen from retailers frequently. Who remembers the old school parkas?! Baseball caps also became popular among rappers in the early 90s, and were usually worn backwards or to the side, and were often times brightly colored, as influenced by African dress. Gangsta style emerged, popularized by N.W.A., it featured Dickie jeans, plaid shirts, and baseball caps, often times these clothes would match color wise so as to show support for one’s neighborhood, in which clothing color was important. As the 90s moved forward, gangsta style moved towards styles developed in prison, such as wearing jeans low and sagged, black ink tattoos, and bandannas. The other side of hip hop, or the elite side, went the opposite route, and developed such trends as wearing suits, bowler hats, and other clothes inspired by the gangsters of old. Later in the 90s, throwback jerseys became popular, and the whole style starting moving more and more mainstream, today hip hop culture is one of the dominating forces in the cultural backdrop of America.

Stores such as FilthyDripped.com can attest to the rising popularity of streetwear in general, and not only for the male market. Lanie’s newest collection is sure to create quite a stir in streetwear culture and the designs are truly unique. She commented, “When designing a collection, I basically make what I want to see in my closet. This didn’t fall short for my Holiday ‘07 collection, which is set to deliver mid-October to early November. I’ve always had an interest in the early 60’s mod/punk scene in London so I developed a collection with a mod influence but gave it a military twist through the cuts, details and graphics. The military-mod theme isn’t completely literal but its influence is apparent.”

Long ignored by traditional fashion, women who are interested in streetwear often have to settle for wearing men’s trends. HellzBellz has been working to change this since 2005 and the reception has been tremendous. She has been traveling to shows on both costs and her work is certainly in demand, proving that streetwear is still on top, no matter what sex you are. According to Lanie, the type of woman interested in streetwear is, “A forward, non-conforming woman who lives life to the fullest and understands first and foremost that individuality is key. She’s also a strong female who isn’t afraid to speak her mind or express herself freely.”

Streetwear has maintained its popularity since it got its start in the 1980’s and can be found in special boutiques throughout the country. FilthyDripped.com is one of the most popular stores in California, offering numerous lines from designers and all of the latest trends. The streetwear market has managed to avoid falling into the same trap as traditional designers in the current economy, a fact that is attributed to its edgy design and appeal.

The new collaboration with Wildchild and Touchstone illustrates that streetwear is at the forefront of what is on the minds of the nation. Many of the designs are inspired by music and Wildchild is the perfect illustration of what happens when clothing and music come together. Business partner and co-founder of Wildchild Traci Copeland agrees stating, “Everyone loves music. It sets the tone for much of what we do, and our designs are a reflection of that. Music can be colorful, vibrant, and thought-provoking. This movie is a great platform to showcase that.”

You can see Wildchild Nation’s designs in Step Up 2: The Street, which will be directed by John Chu. As the company’s release pointed out, “Step Up 2: The Streets” proves to be a high impact ride down hip hop street dance culture and fashion.”