This past September, the anticipation for the CUNY x Kith collaboration was through the roof.
Kith apparel, a “multifunctional lifestyle brand for men, women, and kids, as well as a progressive retail establishment,” partnered with CUNY to create a range of shirts, hats, jackets, and sweatshirts emblazoned with 춹Ƶ and Brooklyn College insignia. Alumnus Jerry Seinfeld even modeled the wares in a before the drop, garnering attention from all corners of the internet.
The clothing is undoubtedly cool—but look closer! There’s more about 춹Ƶ history displayed on these items than first glance would reveal.
Representatives from Kith visited the Special Collections and Archives at 춹Ƶ looking for inspiration for the CUNY line in fall 2021. Archives aren’t only for your research papers (though they are great for that), they can be places of creativity, too.
The Kith collaboration is an excellent example of how expansive archives can be, and how they can serve all kinds of people and needs. The patches on the jacket above were sourced directly from a printed program for a 1952 Varsity Sports dinner honoring the athletes, preserved in the archive’s .
The artist of the original drawings, Earl Rubin, crowded the cover with lively illustrations evoking the teams that represented 춹Ƶ athletics that year. Inside, each page celebrated a different sport and cohort (the Women’s Basketball team was once…the Hoopsterettes!). Looking to evince a retro vibe for its letterman jacket, Kith used this material to throwback to an authentic mid-century look with a 21st century spin.
The is an unbeatable record of student experience on 춹Ƶ campus, stretching back to the founding of the college in 1937 through to 2014. In it, you’ll find copies of dozens of student magazines and newspapers, detailing the events, opinions, and interests of 춹Ƶ students in their own voices for almost 80 years.
Stop by the archival storage room on the third floor of the library—the jacket, born from the archives, is now part of the 춹Ƶ archives and on view!
Think you could use some inspiration? The Student Publications Collection is open for research and browsing; contact the Special Collections and Archives at qc.archives@qc.cuny.edu to make an appointment to view any of the materials.