Hoodie’s journey from sportswear to political symbol

The hoodie, a staple of cold-weather wardrobes, has a history that extends far beyond its comfort and style, according to Hindustan Times. Originating as a functional garment for athletes and manual workers in the 1930s, the hooded sweatshirt was developed by what later became Champion Athletic Apparel. It gained cultural prominence through Sylvester Stallone's iconic training scene in the film Rocky.

Youth culture in the 1980s and 1990s transformed the hoodie from sportswear to streetwear, adopted by breakdancers, skaters, and hip-hop artists. This shift led to moral panic, with baggy hoodies linked to youth crime and banned in shopping centers in the UK, US, and New Zealand. The tragic 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed African American teenager wearing a hoodie, sparked the Million Hoodie March against racial profiling.

The hoodie has since become a political statement, worn by figures like Mark Zuckerberg and US politician John Fetterman. An exhibition at the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam in 2019 explored the garment's role in power and politics. Hindustan Times suggests the hoodie might be 'our last truly political item of clothing.'