Print With Bones
Posted on December 17, 2007
Filed Under PEEP THIS!, DOWNTOWN FASHION
One of the newest clothing lines that’s got me all worked up, is the 21st Century Maroon Colony (21MC). The birth of the brand was in Spring ‘07, but the blood behind the name comes from African ancestors, a reference to “the Afro-Triangle”. Emeka Alams and Yego Moravia, the hearts behind 21MC have been close since they were young, but were brought together to change the face of style forever, by combining bitter truth and painful history all the while finding beauty in the modern day Maroon. As graphic as the truth can be, 21MC has found a great way to highlight some of the beautiful patterns and colors that scream Africa, but also capture the face of today’s generation. In 2008, look out for remixed/redesigned shirts dedicated to tracks by 2pac, Big Youth, De la Soul, Black Uhuru, Santogold and Nas. Spring brings back the ancestors in foil print and embroidery on t-shirts, sweaters, jackets and even leggings as well as a tribute to the 21st death day of Basquiat. Read more on 21MC as Yego breaks down “The Afro-Triangle”: “ It reconnects us with that place where the bones of our ancestors trace out the routes of trade between Africa, The Americas, and Europe like a 500 year old super highway. Literally. It’s estimated that all the bones of dead Africans during the middle passage could be lined up side-by-side to make a two lane highway from Charleston, South Carolina, U$A, to the Slave Coast of Ghana. The route then heads north to Liverpool, England, then back to the Americas, the completes the triangle. Sharks still patrol the routes of the slave ships, that’s how well fed they were during the slave trade. Supposedly, the shark population tripled between the 15th and 18th centuries…” Heavy stuff worth thinking about. Learn more about 21MC here.
Whoa! The whole “Afro-Triangle” is crazy!!! I still can’t believe that people did that to other people…