Y'OH

This brand takes me back to my childhood to the days of flat tops, patterns in the back of my neck, Reebook Black Pumps, Eric B & Rakeem, Black Sheep and A Tribe Called Quest. An epic era that I loved and I love that Y'OH is bringing some of that era back to the surface by making these well designed garments.

http://www.y-oh.co.uk

Some nice quotes from their website:
African Vibes - "I initially began by looking at traditional dress. The research then developed into looking at AFROCENTRIC look which became prominent in the 80s. It reflected raps renewed determination to assert black cultural identity and roots. Effectively blending sportswear with traditional African fabrics such as BATIK and loose comfortable styles. Although the visuals themselves inspired me what I found most influential was the rawness of the era in which it emerged. The time was also referred to as “hip hop in it’s golden age” noted for it’s innovation. A time (Spin’s editor-in-chief Sia Michel says) when it seemed that every new single reinvented the genre. MTV’s Sway Calloway adds, ” The thing that made the era so great is that nothing was contrived. Everything was STILL BEING DISCOVERED and everything was still innovative and new. Prodigies were literally creating themselves and their art form at the same time.”

"Whilst for some sportswear allow them to remain unnoticed amoung the mass of people wearing trainers and tracksuit tops, for others it means simultaneously to differentiate themselves from this mass and to align themselves with a particular group of people and shared identity. In some instances this happens at the microlevel, as small groups of friends share their individual styles converging around the shared look."

"Much of my background is in pattern cutting therefore developing the cut of the classic shirt was an important part of the research. Taking inspiration from traditional dress as well as modern standards of the shirt. Attention is given to the proportion of the shirt, including the length, the sleeve width, the collar shape…For the Y’OH collection I developed two styles. One standard cut in a slightly longer length and on more boxy cut with wider body and sleeves. The finishings and stitching were referenced from 90s classics."