Story of the Hoodie 1

Hooded garments date back over 3,000 years, but the modern hoodie emerged in the 1930s when Knickerbocker Knitting Company (later Champion) designed sweatshirts for University of Michigan athletes and laborers. By the 1970s, it became a symbol of hip-hop culture, representing defiance and dignity, later propelled into mainstream fashion by Rocky. In the '90s, gangsta rap and designers like Armani and Hilfiger cemented its cultural significance, tying it to issues of race and police brutality, especially after Trayvon Martin’s 2012 tragedy. Once purely utilitarian—with dense cotton, dropped shoulders, and ribbed trims—today’s hoodie is lighter and sleeker but remains a powerful, everyday icon.