1980s Gallery

Boombox used by Public Enemy, ca. 1986. Creator: Tecsonic

A tecsonic boombox with a light brown metal cover used by Public Enemy. The boombox has a handle at the top, collapsible antenna, six speakers, a radio, a double cassette player, and a number of controls. There are green and black Public Enemy stickers adhered around the left, top, and right sides. There is one sticker on each side and three on the top. All of the stickers have varying degrees of loss. Two cassette compartments marked "METAL / 4 BAND STEREO RECEIVER / DOUBLE CASSETTE PLAYER" and "5-BAND GRAPHIC EQUALIZER MX-900." The large round speaker at the bottom right has a white sticker with black and red print that says "I (heart symbol) / SOWETO / www.iluvsa.co.za / Where: CHAF - POZI / When: 3rd Saturday / of every month." There is a black label with silver text on back of speaker. It reads "TECSONIC / STEREO DOUBLE CASSETTE RECORDER / WITH 4-BAND RADIO / MODEL NO: MX-900 / AC 110/220V 50/60Hz30W / DC 15V"D"SIZE BATTERY x10PCS / MADE IN KOREA."

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Red jumpsuit designed by Willi Smith, 1969-1987. Creator: Willi Smith

The jumpsuit has a v-neck, a notched lapel collar, and short cuffed sleeves and is made of a red cotton fabric. There is a breast pocket on the proper left side with rounded bottom corners. There are six red plastic buttons going down the center on the proper left side, starting at the base of the v-neck and going down to where the pant legs start. There is a hem around the bottoms of the pant legs. There is a cinched waist with two belt loops on the back and a slash pocket on either hip. There are a few snags and loose threads on the jumpsuit. There are three white tags sewn into the back of the collar on the inside. The small tag on the proper right side reads [7/8] in black. The tag next to it is larger and reads [WILLI WEAR LTD / Designed by Willi Smith] in black. In between the two lines of text there is a cartoon drawing of a man's face in profile. The man has short hair, glasses, and a collared shirt. The tag below it reads [100% COTTON / MADE IN / MAURITIUS / HAND WASH] in black

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Black dress worn by Oprah Winfrey as Sofia in The Color Purple, 1985. Creator: Unknown

Black dress worn by Oprah Winfrey as Sofia in The Color Purple, 1985. The short-sleeved shift dress is made from a single piece of black rayon-cotton blend satin that is folded in half at the shoulder and seamed down each side, with a neck hole cut at the fold. A gusset made of the satin blend is sewn at each side seam reaching approximately 9 inches above the hem. The sleeves are edged with a brown, green, and purple paisley printed cotton and trimmed in red rickrack. Black silk satin panels are sewn into each underarm with the wrong side facing. The collarless neck is also trimmed in the red rickrack. Three (3) squares of the paisley print trimmed in red rickrack are set on point and sewn at the front waist, one at the center front flanked by the other two. Lengths of the paisley print are attached to the outer point of each side square and used as a belt that ties in the back. There is a patch pocket made of the paisley print and trimmed in red rickrack sewn at the proper right front side. The dress is not lined. There are no closures or fasteners as the loose dress is donned by slipping over the wearer's head and then tied at the waist. Two tags are sewn to the center back neck; the bottom tag is a white fabric label with handwritten ink text reading "CD 245" above brown printed text reading "Palace Costume Co."; the top tag is a white fabric label with a barcode adhered to the center front with text above the barcode reading "PALACE COSTUME CO." and text below the barcode reading "37158666"

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