From the streets to the runway: explore subculture knowledge with these essential titles available from Polimoda’s Library. Study the codes, tribes, and movements that have shaped fashion, from mods to bikers, skaters to ravers, Berlin techno to sportswear culture, and much more, through the lens of trickle-down and bubble-up theory, the fragmentation of mass society into consumer tribes, social resistance, and the eternal dance between underground innovation and mainstream absorption.
Subculture the meaning of style, Dick Hebdige, Routledge, 1988
A seminal text on the definition of subcultures and what they mean for fashion, this book examines how subcultures originate in the rituals of subordinate groups and how they represent both the status and meaning of revolt. It establishes that style can exist as a form of refusal, a gesture of defiance or contempt from marginalized groups in society. It also explores the importance of objects as the medium through which social tensions are expressed across a spectrum of influence.
The time of tribes: the decline of individualism in mass society, Michel Maffesoli, Sage, 1996
This book proposes the disintegration of mass culture and society into tribal groupings while deciphering how these “tribes” are now formed by and gravity around consumer culture and exploring that through the lens of fashion new forms of collectivity are coming through
Streetstyle: from sidewalk to catwalk, Ted Polhemus, Exhibition catalogue, Thames & Hudson, 1994
A streetstyle bible that traces how fashion moves from underground movements into the fashion system. This book proposes the “trickle down, bubble up” theory of how different sartorial elements emerge from authentic subcultural movements, exploring nearly every group known to fashion and social history: from zooties to bikers, mods to rockers, hippies to skaters and ravers, and many more. The title connects these movements to individuals’ socioeconomic backgrounds while also examining how different subcultures influence and intersect with one another.
Il corpo esibito: 100 anni di sport e moda = The body on display: 100 years of sports and fashion, Cristina Giorgetti, Massimo Settimelli, Exhibition catalogue, Cataloghi Arnaud Gramma, 1992
A Polimoda publication, this catalogue covers specific sports and their connection to garments throughout the last two centuries, viscerally linking the body to sports apparel across time. The volume covers the differences and evolutions of sportswear such as the polo shirt’s absence from tennis up until a certain time or the advancement of certain fabrics or accessories to aid the movement and success of cyclists and swimmers, to name a few. Told mostly through an Italian lens, this volume branches out into the eventual commercialization and mainstreamification of sportswear mentioning brands like Pucci, K-Way, and Superga. The photographs and images are particularly beautiful and touching, adding an intimate and human element into this study on sports apparel, the body, and human behaviour.
Mode et sport: d’un podium à l’autre, Sophie Lemahieu, Exhibition Catalogue, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, 2023
This title traces the origins of sportswear from military armor to teamwear in clerical groups, up to its popular definition as sportswear in the 20th century. It also examines its permeation into everyday life via its prevalence on prestigious campuses in the US and UK, the role of dandies and the elite, and the modern explosion of athletic wear through Olympic uniforms and their developing connections to designers. Ultimately, it proposes reasons for how and why this apparel entered the official fashion system.
Sneakers: fashion, gender, and subculture, Yuniya Kawamura, Bloomsbury Academic, 2016
The first academic book dedicated solely to sneakers, written by a sociologist, this text proposes the sneaker as a modern and postmodern social and cultural object that binds communities and people together. It traces the sneaker’s journey from underground to mainstream and treats sneaker enthusiasts as a subcultural group in themselves, while also exploring themes such as adornment in masculinity and resistance against the mainstream in American society. Ultimately, it frames subcultures as working-class phenomena that have created cultural, musical, and fashion ripples throughout society.
SO36: 1978 bis heute, SO36, Ventil Verlag, 2016
A comprehensive history of one of the most famous subcultural hubs in the world: SO36, in Kreuzberg, Berlin, Germany. A club that has truly made history, having witnessed nearly every subculture pass through its doors. A true pioneer in many of the world’s most influential subcultural movements, from punk, to techno, to indie, this book paints a picture of not only popular culture but also world history through the lens of fashion, music, art, photography, and personal stories of who worked, frequented and played in this iconic venue.
From soul to sole: the Adidas sneakers of Jacques Chassaing, Jacques Chassaing, Rizzoli International, 2022
From one of the most prolific and influential sports shoe designers, Jacques Chassaing, appointed Head of adidas Footwear Design International in 1993, this book chronicles his tenure at the sportswear giant through personal anecdotes, contributions from athletes and designers, and a comprehensive look at his inspiration, collaborations, and legacy in the world of sneaker and sports design.
The Adidas archive: the footwear collection, Christian Habermeier, Taschen, 2020
A hefty bible for sneaker and sportswear enthusiasts that contains almost 200 pairs of shoes. An essential guide to what adidas has done in the sports, entertainment, fashion and popular culture spheres while also historically tracing the development of a lot of sports shoes that we still recognize and wear today.
SPECIAL THANKS
- Marialisa Cornacchia, Head of Polimoda Library
- Stefano Filippelli, Global Vice President of Product at adidas Originals and mentor for Polimoda’s Master in Fashion Brand Management
- Fabio Minutoli, Senior Communication Manager – Athlete Activation at adidas
