Champion Tears Autumn | Winter 2021 Cry/Revelations collection
This September sees the launch of a dynamic collaboration between artist & creative Tremaine Emory – aka Denim Tears – and iconic Global sportswear brand - Champion. Emory has delved deep into the back catalogue of Champion’s archive and has been inspired by the critically acclaimed Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre to develop unique pieces within in the collection – throwing a spotlight one of the greatest black-founded American cultural arts companies of all time.
Movement and Ailey’s dance heritage are central to Emory’s design narrative, which was brought to life with a film directed by actor, dancer and director Taylour Paige at the Queen’s Museum in New York, built as the city’s official pavilion for the World’s Fair in 1939, and used again for the same purpose in 1950.
The history and aesthetics of Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre coupled with the reliability and durability of Champion’s classic Reverse Weave fabrics inspired Emory, from the embroidery on the back of a timeless “letterman” jackets and outerwear bearing the company’s name and the year it debuted, to collegiate sweats and tees. There are bright plaids and a repeat riff in knits, jackets and hats on the red, black and green of the UNIA (Universal Negro Improvement Association) that first appeared in the 20s in New York City. This is design with resonance and something consistently referenced in Ailey’s repertoire
