FACE ARTICLE DECEMBER 1991

This article from the Face magazine in 1991 recently surfaced on the 80s Casuals forum. Re-published here courtesy of Iain Badger [forum member] the text is by Gavin Hills and asks the question, Did Acid House kill the football hooligan? Gavin sadly drowned in 1997. He became one of The Face 's star writers, writing about the usual youth culture subjects such as drugs, clubs, trainers, sex, sport, computer games etc. Bliss To Be Alive: The Collected Writings of Gavin Hills was published by Penguin in 2000

click on pic to enlarge.

FINE YOUNG CASUALS

This week sees the release of our "Fine Young Casuals" T-Shirt. The Burberry 'nova check' scarf was a fine accessory until stolen by the chav stereotype in the late 90s, highlighting the 'pole drift' of the luxury designer brands to low socio-economic groups due mainly to the counterfeiting of such brands. This association led Burberry to employ designer Christopher Bailey to help re-brand its image. The 'chav' following soon fell by the wayside, so could the label now be due a renaissance, especially the scarf?

The T-Shirt will be available this week from www.80scasuals.co.uk and most stockists within the next two weeks.

AD of the WEEK

From the Arena Magazine Summer/Autumn of 1988. The Stone Island "Ice Jacket" is possibly one of the most collectable from the S.I. 80s range. A thermo-sensitive liquid crystal coating changes colour from White to Blue at low temperatures. At between 15 °C and 10°C the fabric will gradually begin to change from its initial colour. 

Flicking through these Arena magazines gives an idea of the cost of some Stone Island jackets during its introduction into British stores. The "Ice Jacket" retailed for £450 at the time and was one of the most expensive jackets of the late 80s.

FUTURE COLLECTABLES

In compiling the 80s Casuals book a look of expense and thought went into purchasing original gear to give the book the right look. Jay has been an avid collector over the last decade and some training shoes cost upwards of £300 with many bits of clothing also being costly acquisitions. Many people flicking through its pages have commented on how they wished they had never thrown out that favourite piece of Fila BJ or that pair of adidas. Especially on seeing the vast sums gained on Ebay. but what will be collectables of the future? 

Now that the re-make of 'The Firm' has placed the sportswear at the fore-front of todays fashion, it is likely that in 20 years time we could be seeing the same retro styling on the streets again as todays teenagers hanker for that nostalgic feeling. The fact that we have a collaboration with possibly one of the greatest brands from the 80s casual period was quite inconceivable a few years back, but what we also have is Fila producing Limited Edition Terrindas on our behalf. We believe that in twenty years from now these may be the pieces you see going for astronomical prices on the auction sights of the day.

The green Terrinda was a 500 production and was the first time ever that this colour was produced by Fila for this style,  but the Diamond Point, made from the same Terrinda fabric numbered only 200 and will not be re-produced again. The £69.99 retail price is a give away considering the exclusivity of the piece. Next week will see a limited distribution of some Diamond Points to RAN, STUARTS, ORIGINALS, HIP, MANIFESTO, TERRACES and BLOC3.

Our website also has limited stock available. http://www.80scasuals.co.uk/shop5.html

LONDON BOOK LAUNCH @ 100 CLUB in JUNE

Plans are afoot with regards to organising a book launch in the capitol. The date of Friday 18 June has been pencilled in at the world famous 100 CLUB. Situated at 100 Oxford Street, http://www.the100club.co.uk/ the club has played host to such legendary groups as the Rolling Stones, the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Oasis etc etc.

Confirmed for the night are IAN McNABB http://www.ianmcnabb.com/ian%20biography.html Plus WESTERN PROMISE http://www.westernpromise.com/ with more guests to be confirmed.

The night shall be titled 80s CASUALS presents "It's grim up North" an 80s CASUALS BOOK LAUNCH. Tickets are available from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/77519 at a cost of £10. 

We are also working with our sole London stockists STUARTS http://www.stuartslondon.com/ and we will be distributing a 15% discount voucher for the shop on the night plus we will be manufacturing a Limited Edition "GRIM UP NORTH" T-Shirt which will be available on the night as some sort of promotion yet to be decided. 

MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

FHM ARTICLE MAY 2010

This months FHM magazine sees us mentioned alongside such luminaries as 6876, Paul Smith, John Smedley and C.P.Company. The article gives a nod towards Bexies red Fila Terrinda from 'The Firm' plus a first publication mention for the 80s Casuals book.

80s CASUALS COLLECTORS EDITION BOOK DRAW.

We recently had made 50 handcrafted leather bound Collectors edition covers for the 80s Casuals book. Custom made to our very own specification and incorporating our 80s logo burgundy colour plus the green used on the stripes on the original cover, these editions have only been supplied to family and friends. Bound by the finest Craftsmen each book is exquisitely finished to the finest detail and hand numbered on the inside 1-50. The cover is printed in gold leaf. 

We have one of these books to give away in a prize draw. All you need to do is purchase something from the website www.80scasuals.co.uk from now until the end of April and your name will be entered into a free prize draw with the winner receiving number 48/50 of this Limited Edition Collectors Book. Look out over the coming months for more prize draws.

STEALING STOLEN STUFF

IT'S GRIM UP NORTH MK2 T-SHIRT

BANKSY'S TOURIST INFORMATION

There's a saying "Stealing Stolen Stuff" which basically means everything's been done before and copied from something similar. Then it gets re-invented again in different ways. Here we like to call it "inspiration". Many of our designs are what we would say "original ideas" but one or two are 'inspired by' maybe a piece of art like our "Grim up North" T-Shirt. The inspiration for one of our best selling T-Shirts came from flicking through Banksy's 'Wall and Piece' book a few years back. The image of a hoody in front of graffiti saying 'Tourist Information' struck a chord and immediately reminded us of the C.P. Company Urban Protection Metropolis Jacket. 'It's Grim up North' was a Top 10 single for  The Justified Ancients of Mu Mu in 1991 and again seemed an appropriate saying for the graffiti we  would use.

We have now re-invented the T-Shirt by adding colour to the characters clothing and trainers. The Grim up North Mk2 T-Shirt should be in stores in a couple of weeks.

WORLD CUP T-SHIRT - BRAZIL

Arguably the greatest footballer of all time and the only player to hold three World Cup Winners medals, Pele was the obvious choice for our Brazil T-Shirt. His homeland where he played for Santos for almost two decades is pictured behind him. Again the back has our take on the Marc O'Polo 80s typeface. Our website www.80scasuals.co.uk will have the World Cup range available from this weekend and stockists will take delivery early next week.

PELE available from; Ran, Hoods, Block98, Jazz, C3,

BOBBY MOORE available from; Ran, Stuarts, Terraces, Hip, Evolution, Hoods, Block98, Jazz, C3, An-X, SW1, Planet, Pride.

TORRES available from; Transalpino, Ran, Jazz, C3,

TOP TWENTY BOOKS

On visiting Waterstones Liverpool today it was great to see that the 80s Casuals book had entered the local Top Twenty at Number 16, which for a self published book is quite an achievement. Besides the two local Waterstones Book stores plus Magma books in Manchester, the book is unavailable in any other Book store. It is hoped that over the following months a distributor may come on board and help us get the publication out to most book stores around the country. In the mean time the book is available from www.80scasuals.co.uk amazon, ebay and stockists of our attire with Stuarts in London being the sole retailer in the capitol. Number One in the charts was Catcher in the Rye. 1950s teenage rebellion, who's interested in such nostalgia? now if it was set in the 80s.

80s CASUALS SUMMER RAMBLER SHORTS

rambler shorts rear

rambler shorts front

THE RAMBLER SHORT (navy)

Our Rambler shorts are made from 100% lightweight cotton. Taking todays lifestyle into consideration, these shorts have buttoned pockets capable of holding a mobile phone. Available only in Navy and exclusively limited to 100, a list of stockists will appear here soon. Sizes available are 30" - 38" waist. Stores will take delivery by mid May.

The front features:

Regular and extra wide belt loops with double button fastening. 

Two wide reinforced vertical seam pockets.

Mobile phone pocket with button fastening.

Map pocket with flap and button fastening.

The rear features:

Two large flap and button fastening stow pockets.

Leg width adjusters (to keep out the elements).

80s CASUALS SUMMER KHYBER SHORTS

khyber shorts rear

khyber shorts front

THE KHYBER SHORT (beige).

This Summer we are producing two styles of shorts. The first one here is a heavy weight chino short of military origin. This will only be available in the beige colour as shown and is restricted to a quantity of 100 in total to be distributed amongst the 80s Casuals stockists. [a stockist list will appear here in a weeks time]. Stores can expect delivery by mid May. Sizes available will be 30" - 38".

 

The front features:

Two flap fastening slanted pockets. Reinforced crotch. Large side cargo pocket. Zip stow, phone/map pocket.

 

The rear features:

Two large bellow stow pockets.Reinforced seat.

WORLD CUP T-SHIRT...ENGLAND

Our first England World Cup T-Shirt will hit the shops in the next two weeks. The inspirational captain from 1966 Bobby Moore appears above the land of hope and glory. Our take on the iconography that was the 1980s Marc O'Polo typeface is displayed on the rear shoulders of the top.

 Sockists include www.80scasuals.co.uk plus these stores; RAN manchester and liverpool, STUARTS london, TERRACES stoke, HIP leeds, EVOLUTION sheffield, HOODS tamworth, BLOCK98 worcester, JAZZ grimsby, C3 stamford, AN-X bradford, SW1 plymouth, PLANET bedford, PRIDE worksop.

RADIO MERSEYSIDE INTERVIEW

This week we were invited into Radio Merseyside to talk about the 80s Casuals book publication. Tony Snell broadcasts the morning show and Radio Merseyside has the highest BBC listening figures outside of London.

WORLD CUP T-SHIRT

The first of our World Cup range of T-Shirts was picked up from the printers today. Spain will be one of the favourites and probably the most iconic player from all their endeavours in previous competitions will be leading the frontline this summer. Fernando Torres adorns the front over a map of his country while the back has the Spanish wording for Spain in a typeface which was an 80s favourite with Marc O'Polo. Besides our website www.80scasuals.co.uk stockists include RAN and TRANSALPINO in Liverpool, C3 in Stamford and JAZZ in Grimsby.

AD of the WEEK

From the now defunct Arena Magazine March/April 1989 issue is a two-page spread for Boneville. A label from the mastermind that was Massimo Osti, Boneville was launched in 1981 a year before the more famous Stone Island brand and lasted until 1993.

SPRING COLOURS

The day time temperatures are gradually increasing and the turn of spring seems to be just around the corner. Therefore the wardrobe takes on a more summery look particulary in the colour department. This last few months have seen the mens magazines focussing on the summer palette of yellows, greens and blues. 80s Casuals are producing a range of plain t-shirts with just our leather badge on the left breast which will include a vast range of colours and will retail at £20. The website www.80scasuals.co.uk will have 5 colours in the next few weeks with more to follow in the following months. 

One colour seen everywhere in the magazines is Ocean Blue and we have a Subway hooded sweatshirt available at the moment in that very colour. Ideal for those chilly nights and cool enough for a warm day, these tops are limited to just 100 and once gone will not be produced in the same colour again.  A nylon hood is hidden away in the collar in case of any spring showers.

BOOK STOCKISTS

Just a quick up-date on stockists of our 80s CASUALS book. Manifesto in Dundee, Hip in Leeds, Stuarts in London, Transalpino in Liverpool, Ran in Manchester and Liverpool plus Planet in Bedford have all taken stock in the last week. Our website www.80scasuals.co.uk has plenty of availability and in the coming week we have Magma in Manchester taking a supply with the possibility of their two London stores also requiring some stock. Waterstones in Liverpool now have us on their shelves and in the coming weeks we shall be supplying more regional Waterstones stores before hopefully the national stores get wind of our document of social history. Wood Wood in Copenhagen Denmark have asked for some copies and they shall be receiving them also by the end of the week.

 

INTRODUCING - FRANCESCO MELLINA

THE RED SUNS

http://www.myspace.com/redsunsmusic

NICK ELLIS from THE MAYBES?

http://www.myspace.com/themaybesliverpool

IAN PROWSE from AMSTERDAM

http://www.myspace.com/amsterdamhq

A few weeks ago we mentioned close friend Francesco Mellina's T-Shirt collaboration with Amplified which stemmed from last years deal with ourselves. Francesco moved to Liverpool in the late 70s from Southern Italy and became resident photographer in local night-club Erics. These photos became the topic of a recent exhibition [Sound and Vision] at Liverpool Museums Conservation Centre and attracted a record breaking 22000 viewers over a four month period. http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/conservation/exhibitions/mellina/fashion/index.aspx#ga

llery Franco now has a new exhibition which starts today and runs untill 4 April at The Gallery Stanhope Street Liverpool showing more pics from the Erics days. http://www.thegalleryliverpool.co.uk/whats-on.html He put away his camera in the early 80s and proceeded to manage Dead or Alive and start a record label before settling into the world of retailing fashion to many including local footballers and celebrities.

Last week saw the Official launch of our 80s Casuals book at Static Gallery Liverpool and we were honoured by Francesco becoming our photographer for the night. He is now working again as a photographer and can be contacted through his myspace or facebook pages.  Above we have just a few shots from the night. http://www.myspace.com/francescomellina

MA STRUM JACKETS ON-LINE

Autumn/Winter '09 saw the inaugral collection from MA Strum. The archives of Massimo Osti have been raided to bring us the very best of his pioneering designs with high tech fabrics and top quality design being at the core of the collection. Former Victorinox designer Donrad Duncan has joined forces with Massimo's son and daughter Lorenzo and Agata to pick the best bits from the vast collection of work accumulated by the Osti Studio since its inception in 1970.

Here at 80s Casuals we have been selected along with some of the very best stores around the country to stock the brand. We therefore would like to offer what we think are the best jackets from each collection starting with the Spring/Summer 2010 designs. This week saw delivery of two styles we think will sit well in any wardrobe. The Field Jacket and the Cockpit Jacket are the two stand out pieces. check them here http://www.80scasuals.co.uk/shop8.html