The Casuals
The football terraces of the 80s and 90s were more than just a place to watch the game. They were a cultural melting pot, where fashion, music, and attitude were just as important as the scoreline. At the forefront of this subculture were the Casuals, known for their sharp dress sense and love of sportswear. There are certain brands like C.P Company, Stone Island, Pringle, Fred Perry, Lacoste, Aquascutum, Ben Sherman, Sergio Tacchini, and Adidas that became synonymous with the Casuals, who imbued them with a feeling that money couldn't buy. The Casuals were the tastemakers.
Adidas trainers became the footwear of choice for the subculture, and their footwear became a symbol of the Casuals' fashion sensibility. As the Casuals' fashion sense became more refined, they began to seek out more obscure and exclusive trainers, often traveling abroad to find them. This was a time before the internet, so the only way to get your hands on the latest and greatest sneakers was to know someone who had them or to travel to where they were sold. The quest for the perfect pair of trainers became a kind of pilgrimage, with Casuals journeying to Italy or Germany in search of the latest styles. This is as romantic as it sounds.
The stamps depict two key elements of the Casuals' culture, the style and the attitude. The first illustration features a character sporting a Stone Island jacket zipped up. The second illustration features a character wearing a CP Company hat with goggles. It couldn't just be any hat or any jacket.
The third and fourth are inspired by the attitude of the Casuals, represented by none other than the Wealdstone Raider, "If you want some, I'll give it ya" and "You've got no fans." The stamps and the accompanying story capture the essence of the Casuals' influence on fashion and their attitude, rather than promoting violence. After all, if you've got your finest gear on, are you up for your box-fresh Gazelle getting scuffed? Wet? Or that fancy jacket? Would you even let someone else try it on?
Check out the oversized stamp collection for The Casuals in the store.
”Awayday Mantra,” “The Uniform,” “Headers,” “You’ve got no fans.”
Or the entire “firm”?