Shirt Kings: Pioneers of Hip Hop Fashion

Shirt Kings looks at the early days of urban fashion through the lens of the pioneering group of artists 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 NYC where the fashion was loud, colourful and filled with cartoon imagery. From DJ Red Alert to LL Cool J to Big Daddy Kane to Mike Tyson – they all had to have their Shirt King designs.

—-

They would transform your whole look into a superstar . Nas

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

The Shirt Kings network was fashion TV of the times , and advertising and promotion way before it became trendy . – Chuck D , Public Enemy

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, Wu-Tang Clan

Phade has been my go to guy since the eighties for all airbrush collabos ! – Dapper Dan