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Keyword

The Hoodie

Start Date
01 December 2019
End Date
23 August 2020
Venue
Het Nieuwe Instituut
Location
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Curator
Lou Stoppard
Designer
Studio L A: Arna Mackic and Lorien Beijaert
Exhibition display of dressed mannequins and imagery
Exhibition display of dressed mannequin

This exhibition explores the role of a fashion garment as a socio-political carrier. The hoodie tells many stories – tales of social inequality, youth culture, subculture, police brutality, racism, privacy, fear and style. It is a garment that sparks a range of emotions, communicating all manner of social and cultural ideas and nuances depending on the gender, geography, age, conduct and ethnicity of the wearer and, in turn, the prejudices and politics of the viewer. Popularised by Champion in the 1930s, the hoodie was a practical solution for workmen; it is now, arguably, Western Fashion’s last truly political garment.

Images © Het Nieuwe Instituut.