Old school aesthetics
Boxing has an age old history. The sights and sounds, heroes and villains, falls from grace and Cinderella stories. Boxing is interwoven into our culture. It spans centuries and bridges generations.
One of my favourite parts of this glorious sport's heritage is its aesthetics. I have a particular passion for old school boxing posters and training wear.
Promotional posters played a massive part in boxing pre-television. Aimed at physical attendance, they had to convey a lot of information in a relatively small space. This produced a unique and compelling genre of design. They spawned creative typography and striking two tone imagery.
These elegant posters spawned many of the ubiquitous Photoshop techniques we see today. Modern posters look slick, but for me, they lack the rugged charm of their ancestors. Take a look at the series of posters promoting Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali fights of the 60s. Strident red and yellow colours and image cut outs create an arresting visual.
Modern day fighters train in hi-tech, breathable apparel. For marquee fighters, this might even be their own brand. There were no such indulgences for the golden age of combatants. You can see the genesis of classic boxing training wear looking at the stars of the 50s and 60s. You can see Sonny Liston, the Heavyweight champion of the world training in a hotel t-shirt.
Henry Cooper is British boxing royalty. Seeing Our 'Enry resplendent, training in a Lonsdale t-shirt is a snapshot of that time. It saddens me that these brands are somewhat devalued today. Now anyone can wear a Lonsdale or Everlast.
The 70s and 80s brought a different look and feel. It's apt that decades renowned for their outrageous fashion sense spawned brighter design. Who can forget the beautiful, strident yellow of Detriot's Kronk gym. I can still see Thomas Hearns rendering Roberto Duran unconscious, in a blaze of Kronk yellow. Accompanied by a simple hanging gloves logo, Kronk's brand still cuts the mustard today.
Today's training apparel doesn't grab me, if I'm being honest. When I decided to produce Barnburner branded training wear, I had an old-school vibe in mind. My friend Kevan Worrall is a rare talent. A seasoned, disciplined designer, he helped me realise what I had in mind. Kevan designed my logo and the artwork for my tshirts and hoodies. His portfolio is well worth 10 minutes of anyone's time.
Luckily, there are still places to get training clobber that harkens back to the golden age of boxing. The US firm Roots of Fight produces fight apparel of beautiful simplicity and exquisite quality. Their wares are always top of the list I send of to Santa each December.
Boxing has a proud and historic heritage. It's aesthetic is romantic, resonant and always arresting. Do yourself a favour and take a trip down memory lane. The titans of boxing had a look and style of their own. What will yours be? Have fun finding out. If you look good, you feel good.
Happy training.
