I'm hearing this summer is feeling like 2016 again? Well, thanks to Toronto based Designer Spencer Badu, another form of nostalgia is being invigorated once more via the sequel drop to his deconstructed football jerseys, released previously in 2022. The introduction of this new style saw a continued importance and focus on sustainability, utilising a mixture of dead stock/up-cycled mesh to formulate another take on the brand's ethos of uniform.
A revitalised Red, Yellow, Black & White make up the respective colour ways of this drop. These are hues that almost form the basis of Badu's uniform colour scheme. Speaking of which, the confrontation of the former has been something Spencer has been exposed to from young hence why we see such a consistent loyalty to this idea. Following this, the Canadian Designer spoke about having a "weird relationship" with authority which spurred his curiosity and exploration into techniques like deconstruction, that re-contextualise uniforms for the modern day.
Uniforms represent and have meaning, which was something that could be identified via cultural figures, especially in music - that "challenge the status quo", such as Jay-Z, Andre 3000 & Biggie Smalls. Like these huge artists, its the daring persona and rebellious energy that Spencer shares, fostering interesting silhouettes and approaches to the work he creates.
The stylistic aspect of a football jersey (not soccer), was quite prevalent in the 90s, off the field. Maybe it was the plethora of colours, or the varying teams allowing you to rep your state/ local area, or the fact that you could size up to cover your floor scraping sag. Whatever your reasoning was, there was no questioning the popularity of this essential wardrobe staple.
Presented to us via a campaign consisting of stills and a short film, shot by Austin Banks, we see models darting across the frame sporting their jerseys in a modernised, cropped silhouette with shoulder pads to bolster the frame and empower its wearer as well as featuring the iconic slit on the neckline. The numbers we see on each jersey have different meanings:
6 - Referring to Badu's birth month, in the sixth month of the year
93 - Referring to the year of Badu's birth
10 - Translating Ghanaian 'Badu' to english, meaning 10th born
57 - Representing Ghana's independence day in 1957, March 6th
Feel bold and strong in your uniform and expect to see an encouraging message on Spencer's website whilst you shop:
"THERE IS NO 'I' IN TEAM... BUT THERE IS AN 'I' IN WIN! - TACKLE THE DAY"
By Luca Allick-Smith