HBCU students are often trendsetters when it comes to fashion. Taking inspiration from their time at their alma mater, three Tuskegee University alumni have launched a clothing line dedicated to HBCU fashion trends, just in time for the homecoming season.
Through their clothing brand, Taliaferro Union Apparel Company, the three alums have created an “Archive Revival Collection. The collection consists of sweaters, sweatpants, and cardigans highlighting the “Golden Tiger heritage,” merging the present with the past. Amongst the four designs is the Archive Cardigan in the Tuskegee University colorway.
“Each piece in the Archive Revival was inspired by photographs of students from different eras of Tuskegee University’s past,” detailed the website’s collection description. “Pieces that spoke to us. Garments that deserved to be resurrected and given the dignity they’re due. We made sure to honor them by diligently poring over every detail.”
Honoring Tuskegee’s rich history, the line highlights the university’s founding year and the “T Club,” a popular campus organization in the 1920s and 30s. Furthering its connection to Tuskegee, the brand is named after the university founder and first president, Booker Taliaferro Washington.
This is the second clothing line dropped by HBCU alumni this year. Earlier this year Spelman and Morehouse College launched a limited-edition clothing line in partnership with Ralph Lauren to pay tribute to Oak Bluffs and HBCU heritage. The graduates from Spelman and Morehouse served as both designers and talent for the photoshoot. The collection consists of varsity jackets with symbols of both the Maroon Tiger of Morehouse and the Jaguar of Spelman.
The line also caught the attention of well-known commentator Roland Martin. Martin took to his personal X account to express whether the media will give the Archive Revival Collection the same exposure as the Ralph Lauren and Oak Bluff collections.
“Will Black media give them the millions of free publicity they gave @RalphLauren for their Martha’s Vineyard Collection?”, said Martin.
Just in time for homecoming, Taliaferro is hosting a site-wide sale. Tuskegee University’s homecoming is from October 26 to November 2.
