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Origins
The sweatshirt has its roots in the early decades of the twentieth century, standing as one of the first brilliant and enduring examples of modern sportswear. Its legend began in the 1920s, thanks to the intuition of a young football player from the University of Alabama, Benjamin Russell Jr. Tired of wool uniforms, uncomfortable, itchy, and prone to shrinking in the wash, Benjamin was looking for something more practical. The breakthrough came from within his own family: his father, Benjamin Sr., was the founder of Russell Textiles. Together, father and son developed a thick cotton pullover that was comfortable and durable. Thus, the crewneck sweatshirt was born, a timeless classic. In the 1930s and 1940s, its toughness and comfort made it the standard uniform for both American athletes and workers. But its evolution didn’t stop there. In the heart of New York winter, another revolution was underway. The Knickerbocker Knitting Company sought a solution to keep warehouse workers warm in the cold. They stitched a hood onto a regular sweatshirt and added a central hand-warming pocket: the hoodie was born, a garment destined to become iconic.
In 1934, impressed by this innovation, the University of Michigan commissioned a customized version for its sports teams. KKC, by then known as Champion, responded with a double-layer hoodie featuring slightly dropped shoulder seams, ideal for wearing over football pads. The modern sports sweatshirt was officially born.
The first color used for both crewnecks and hoodies? The famous heather grey. A choice driven by three key reasons:
- Cost-effective: Heather grey is made by blending undyed or leftover fibers, making it the cheapest to produce.
- Practical: Its mottled appearance hides stains, sweat, and wear, perfect for athletes and laborers.
- Neutral: Grey matches everything, making it the ideal base for printing team names, college logos, or brand identities.
By the 1950s and 1960s, these sweatshirts had taken over American college campuses, becoming a staple of youth culture. Printed logos became symbols of belonging, identity, and style. Around the same time, even Muhammad Ali was photographed in London wearing a hoodie, securing its place not just in sports history, but in urban culture as well.
Cultural impact
It was in the 1970s that the hoodie made its definitive leap: from simple sportswear to a universal cultural symbol.
The turning point came in 1976, when Rocky hit the big screen. The film instantly became a classic, along with one unforgettable scene etched into collective memory: Rocky Balboa running through the streets of Philadelphia at dawn, cold breath mingling with the freezing air. Rocky is the everyman, the underdog who never stops fighting. And what does a people’s hero wear? A hoodie, of course. With that simple gesture, pulling up a hood and starting to run, the sweatshirt ceased to be just technical gear and became a statement.
Almost simultaneously, just a few miles away, another revolution was brewing. In New York, in neighborhoods abandoned by politics and society, hip-hop culture was being born. Rebellious, creative, raw. Born from nothing and against everything, it found in the hoodie its ideal uniform. The raised hood became a symbol: protection, anonymity, defiance. A gesture that expressed both identity and isolation, strength and resistance. The New York Times would later describe it as “the posture of a cobra”, always ready, always alert.
During those years, the hoodie became the go-to garment for graffiti writers, DJs, breakers, skaters, pickpockets, anyone seeking refuge from the public eye or a silent way to assert themselves on the streets. Urban subcultures embraced it wholeheartedly, and when hip-hop broke into mainstream culture, it brought with it the entire aesthetic of the ghetto: sneakers, chains, beats… and hoodies.
Even skaters, once associated with California’s sunny image, began to reclaim colder, more urban environments. They needed something warm, something that protected without restricting movement, something that reflected a lifestyle of freedom, risk, and street spirit.
Guess what they chose? That’s right: once again, the hoodie.
Screen & ICONIC appearances
In the world of cinema, the crewneck sweatshirt remained long tied to its original setting: sports. We see it countless times worn by athletes, dancers, coaches—almost always in heather grey, as if that rough, lived-in fabric were part of the story itself. It appears in iconic films like Grease (1978), Flashdance (1983), Footloose (1984), Heaven Can Wait (1978), The Untouchables (1987), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), all featuring scenes where characters are training, dancing, preparing. In those moments, the crewneck is more than clothing; it becomes a symbol of dedication, transformation, and the pursuit of something greater. And yet, even this garment has its iconic moments of glory. Just think of Steve McQueen in The Great Escape (1963): his crewneck with the sleeves cut off, worn with effortless masculinity and cool, becomes a style reference that would influence men’s fashion for decades. It’s proof that even the simplest piece, if worn with authenticity, can become legendary. Meanwhile, the hoodie continues to claim its space as a symbol of nonconformity, isolation, and silent rebellion. In films like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) or The Breakfast Club (1985), a raised hood isn’t just about protection from the cold, it’s a barrier between the character and the world, an emotional refuge, a gesture of defiance and identity. The hoodie becomes the way cinema tells the story of outsiders, rebels, and loners. In the 1970s and ’80s, the real world also contributed to the myth. Bruce Springsteen, the raw voice of the American working class, chose to wear hoodies throughout his Born in the U.S.A. tour, reinforcing the connection between this garment and deep, blue-collar, proud-to-be roots America. And then came Lady Diana, who in the 1990s turned all the rules upside down. Photographed in oversized sweatshirts paired with cycle shorts, whether walking through London parks or heading to the gym, she managed to transform one of the most “anti-fashion” items in history into a statement of pure contemporary style.With a single look, she paved the way for a new concept of elegance-relaxed, streetwise, and deeply personal.
Our version of an icon
The crewneck sweatshirt is the purest and most iconic form of the sweatshirt.
It’s defined by a ribbed elastic crew neckline with a triangular insert at the front (and in some cases, also at the back), originally designed to absorb sweat and provide extra stretch around the neck.
It features either raglan sleeves—which extend diagonally from the neckline—or set-in sleeves, with the classic shoulder seam. Both versions end with ribbed cuffs and hem in stretch fabric. The hoodie is without doubt the most famous and versatile variation of the sweatshirt, distinguished by a double-layer hood, usually with a drawstring, and a kangaroo front pocket. It traditionally shares the same fabric and ribbing as the crewneck. Together with our long-standing fabric supplier, we’ve created something truly special: our exclusive Melange Sweatshirt (Or heather grey sweatshirt).
It’s not just a sweatshirt, but an homage to the authentic garments of the early 20th century, when sports knitwear wasn’t made for fashion, but out of necessity, and with a level of care that today feels almost forgotten.
We drew inspiration from archive sweatshirts and vintage looms, now only found in certain prefectures of Japan, capable of producing a fabric like no other: soft yet durable, with a diagonal weave and a visible, plush loopback interior. The process is slow, almost artisanal, a stark contrast to today’s fast-paced manufacturing standards. But that’s exactly what makes it so special. It requires time, attention, and expertise. The loose-knit structure results in a fabric that is incredibly comfortable, breathable, and cozy to the touch.
The Vintage55 Sweatshirt is a return to the roots. A piece that combines heritage, quality, and authenticity, designed to last and improve with wear.
With the same approach, we developed our hoodie. Each season, we also aim to introduce a special color or wash for these pieces…Sorry, but style is our own excuse!
