Black Sugar tank top
Has anyone known this tank top to exist outside of the Fight Club Film:
http://www.nypost.com/r/nypost/blogs/popwrap/200901/Images/200901_brad-p...
As I recall, Pitt's wardrobe was largely - if not completely - thriftstore bought. I would place most of it as mid-1970's era as well, so good luck finding most of that now.
I know that the Hustler jersey shirt was in mass production in the early 80's. And has been reproduced since the Fight Club film came out. Brad's Gucci loafers are also still pretty easy to find in second-hand shops as well.
Are you costuming?
This is why we can't have nice things.
I know that the Hustler jersey shirt was in mass production in the early 80's. And has been reproduced since the Fight Club film came out. Brad's Gucci loafers are also still pretty easy to find in second-hand shops as well.
Are you costuming?
yeah I might be. I'd love the faux-fur/feather jacket he wears near the end, with the Black Sugar tank. I think you're right on the thriftstore thing--it's certainly a one-of-a-kind item by now. But I bet there would be a market for it if it was remade.
get me a screen shot of the whole shirt and I can probably tell you whether or not its vintage. That style of shirt was pretty widely reproduced in the late 90s, so it might not be so hard to find something similar.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
It's not that uncommon.
This is why we can't have nice things.
Yeah, there was definitely an influx of shirts like that right about the time Fight Club was being filmed. Started around '97 when Tarantino made Jackie Brown and people decided blaxploitation movies were cool again. You might be able to find a similar shirt in a thrift store from around that time.
http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTFWqErAdrfWSWsOh3fHKoZwwDzkvD_X...
http://media0.boxwish.com/articles/large/75/movies_cause_chaos_with_tyle...
http://www.manchestergossip.com/temp/images/darren/style-icons/brad/tyle...
If it is vintage then it was hardly worn until the movie was made, so my vote would be that no, it is not vintage. It is however one of the higher quality reproductions. Those shirts were first reproduced by smaller companies carried mostly in higher end boutiques. They were generally in the $120-150 range. These were really well made with crisp images. A little later some of the larger companies started producing a much lower quality version, the images were blurrier and the fabric rougher.
I would bet that shirt was purchased in an independently owned boutique. So, the brand could be any of hundreds obscure names. The odds of finding that shirt are slim to none. BUT you could probably find something similar, take the sleeves off, sew red piping on it, and use some fabric paint to add the black sugar text. So anyone who knows the movie well enough wil know what you're getting at.
"I'm glad I live in the GPS era. In a different century, I would've set off to visit the other side of the village and wandered off into the mountains and been eaten by a carnivorous plant. Or discovered the Americas."
-LaJessica
... nah, that sounds like too much work. But thanks for the info.
I still find unused/unworn stuff 30+ years old with the original Gimbels tags on it. It's less likely, but it does happen. Studio costumers have some amazing resources when it comes to finding unusual or unique items. I honestly don't know for sure in this case other than to say that finding another just like it would be improbable.
This is why we can't have nice things.
I looked all over for this too. I found an article that said the costume designer shopped at a place called Decades, a high end vintage consignment store, in LA. I called them and they didn't have it and didn't remember it, but they suggested that I call the 20th Century Fox costume department and ask them about it.
I called and got a hold of Vicky who remembered the shirt (ohhh yeah the one that had little pornographic imagines on it) and she said that it was made at the studio. I don't know where they found the fabric, but she said several were made and are now archived at the studio. I tried to get her to let me look at one, but she said it wouldn't be possible.
I found a site that does costume digital fabric. I was thinking of getting random 70s porn type imagines and recreating the fabric as much as possible and then just having one made. If any one wants to go in on it with me let me know.
Research: Made!
This is why we can't have nice things.
It's amazing what a few well-intentioned and determined people can find out.
@ blacksugar: nice job!
Hi Blacksugar, I'm definitely interested in getting that tank top if it's possible to make one. Been looking everywhere for it.
@blacksugar
I know it s been a while since you posted the results of your research, but i would also like to join in your tank top making!
@blacksugar
Me too! If you can manage to send one to Germany, I'd love to join in. If it's a matter of quantity, I might take 2 or 3 tank tops. Money is no (major) object...
Wow,
I knew other people would be interested in this! Here's how far I've got so far:
1) I went and took several screen shots of the scenes where Brad Pitt is wearing the tank top to try and make out what the imagines are. It's basically a collage of vintage porn images.
2) I bought a batch of vintage porn magazines off of ebay as well as this book from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0811834174/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00
Trash: The Graphic Genius of Xploitation Movie Posters
3) I found a place where I can have custom fabric printed. I figured I could create a collage of images and send it in and have it printed.
Right now I basically need to decide what the collage is going to look like and consist of. The imagines in the vintage porn magazine where not as good as I thought they would be, but the imagines in Trash: The Graphic Genius of Xploitation Movie Posters are great.
I also searched all over for the "Black Sugar" logo but couldn't find it. The real question is if you want to try and recreate it exactly or to get the same vibe and feeling from other images.
I'd also like to get this book here: http://www.amazon.com/Exploitation-Poster-Art-Tony-Nourmand/dp/184513099... to find more images from.
I've got all of the screen shots at home and I could zip them up and post them on here. If anyone would have any imagines that they could fine that they would like on it they could send them to me and I could include them.
I'm looking for thing like "Hot Asian Girls" and things like that which look like they might come from ads etc.
Let me know your thoughts.
@blacksugar, great work so far!
if you could upload or send me your screen shots, especially the ones with the 'black sugar' logo, i d try to draw it and then scan and upload it again, although i cannot promise it ll work
as for recreating it exactly or not, i d suggest trying to get the most important images, like the 'bs' logo and maybe 'oriental cuties' and some others.. of course that s up to you and up to how difficult it is to get the more or less exact images and logos
Ps.: don t post links to sites with explicit content, or you ll get banned....
Ps.: don t post links to sites with explicit content, or you ll get banned....
I can't remember that ever being a rule here.
As long as you're not tricking people and you're being honest with what you're posting, I see no problem with it.
Ps.: don t post links to sites with explicit content, or you ll get banned....
I can't remember that ever being a rule here.
As long as you're not tricking people and you're being honest with what you're posting, I see no problem with it.
my first account ('fightclub') got banned 2 min after I posted a link to a site that calls itself 'World's Largest Adult Covers Archive' (comment was deleted ofc)
and I posted the link with the explanation to use the covers for the shirt..
..so I m 'fightclub II' now ^^
Lol.
Creating a 2nd account. That's a banning.
This is why we can't have nice things.
Lol.
It s a new account. Not a second.
BLACK SUGAR TANK TOP
TANK MAGIK
TANK MAGIK
DO DO DO DO
DO DO DO
DO DO DO DO
DO DO DO
I guess we might have thought it was spam - first post, instantly posting links.
We don't have a problem with racy pictures / links (within the confines of the law), but we do have a problem with spammers. It's something we are constantly dealing with. So, I guess, we might make mistakes once in a while. I'm sorry.
nvm 
I'll try and up load the pictures this weekend.
wait til Nick M comes back and sees all these updates!
Here's the screen shot of Brad Pitt wearing the Black Sugar tank top.
K, I will try to recreate the logo!
black sugar, I'm very interested in entering in on this deal you have going. I am decent at photo editing and would be happy to help in any way you see necessary. If not I am simply eager to get as close to the original tank top that Brad Pitt wore in the movie as possible. It's my favorite movie and I have always wanted to own the Black Sugar tank top. I am confident that you can produce results that are similar enough that it is recognizable to true fans and for that reason I am obsessed with the idea of owning on of your tank tops. Let me know if I can help, and keep us posted on the progress of your work. Thank you for taking so much initiative and being as big a fan as I am.
Hell, I should go in for this and get a Black Sugar Tank Top.
I'd actually look *good* in one.
This is why we can't have nice things.
It's great that so many people are interested in this. I love that people from all over the world who are interested in this very obscure thing can come together and create something like this.
Kooper127 if you want to work on the Photoshop college that would be great. I can contact the fabric printing company and find out exactly what format it would need to be in. Have you taken a look at the screen shots I posted?
I tried to get as many as I could from all different angles. Getting the back of it was especially hard since it's seen very briefly in the film. If you look closely you can see that the same imagines that are on the front are on the back as well. They just move the pattern. For example the "Black Sugar" logo is on Brad Pitt's upper left chest in the front, but on the back it's on his lower left back.
I need to find the right red trim for it, maybe some here can look for that. It's basically just what goes on a T-shirt. Also, I've got tank tops from Urban Outfitters to use as a pattern. People need to figure out what size they are. My ex-girlfriend is pretty good at sowing and she could probably whip them up and then we could ship them out to people.
What's that website where people can donate to it to fund a project and once completed everyone gets something for donating? Maybe we should start one of those for this.
Let me know your thoughts.
Dustin
Kichstarter or whatever?
This is why we can't have nice things.
Sorry it took me so long to post again;
I tried to recreate the logo and I got it more or less, but after the scan the quality of the pic is way too bad to be printed on a shirt..
Unrelated but I want to be a gay rapper and call myself Black Sugar Tank.
Only if I can be White Sugar Tank.
Did any of you guys come up with a photo for the fabric? What type of fabric would they print it on? I would love to purchase one of these!
Black sugar, I'd also like to get in this. The tank top would be an amazing addition to my wardrobe as it stands. I am actually quite proficient In Photoshop, Illustrator,Firework,and alot of other Adobe programs. I'm in college right now to be a graphic designer so I may be able to help. I saw that fight club 11 couldn't exactly recreate the logo but I can give it a shot building it from scratch on illustrator, give me a couple days because I'm really fucking busy. But with the screenshots you posted I might also be able to recreate most of the shirt using Photoshop and illustrator. Not quite sure. I pride myself in creating images from nothing drawing it by hand most of the time and fixing it with illustrator. So I'll give it a shot and post what I come up with soon.
Shirts might actually result from this...
This is why we can't have nice things.
Yes, shirts might result from this.
FYI I just ordered the red ribbing that would be the trim for the tank top.
What we really need is to get someone to create the college of imagines to be able to send it to the custom fabric printing place. Here's what I've seen is the best one. http://dpi-sf.com/ They created the "Facebook Hoodie" that Mark Zuckerburg wears. We need to have a place that's liberal enough to print porn imagines. Most of these places are pretty conservative arts and craft type places.
Has for the fabric we can pick it so long as we order 4 yards or more, which we're going to need. I was thinking of a cotton poly blend, like the fabric that my tank top from Urban Outfitters is made from.
Olmodanceslots if you want to take a shot at creating the college go for it. Go to http://dpi-sf.com/working-dpi.html to see the specs on the file formats they accept. Like I mentioned I have a book of B-Movie posters that has some pretty cool imagines in it. I could scan them and send them to you. I'm open to having what ever on the shirt, I just like the concept of it. I don't necessarily need the "Black Sugar" logo on it, but I'm not apposed to it either.
I am the owner of a clothing company, if somebody could provide me the image for the fabric I could definitely get these professionally done for each and every one of you. Whoever helps work on it I could send it free just pay like $10 shipping.
That would be great. There's a couple of people on here you have expressed interest in working on the file in photoshop. If no one steps up here and works on it I'll get it done and send you the file. What's your clothing line?
I am going to be so impressed if this actually happens.
We better get pictures. I'm almost feeling emotionally invested at this point.
I've got a playboy here with Vanna White in it, you should stick that image on there.
Just use the dress down thread.
But Ya if this happens I would be mroe than a little excited. Might take another year but still.
As your attorney, my advise to you is to start drinking heavily(er).-Tuffy
How can i get in on this? Iam definitly interested in buying a shirt!
Hey sorry I haven't been of more help, since first posting I've moved back into college and my computer here doesn't have photoshop so I'm afraid I'm going to be useless in the ensign aspect of things, but I'm still happy to help in whatever way I can and am as enthusiastic about this project as ever. Things seem to be coming together slowly but surely!
I run a line based in Toronto, Ontario and could definitely get this printed once I get the design. I have already spoken to my contacts overseas, all I need is the photoshop file from one of you.
Yeesh, you go away for a couple of years...
This is awesome, glad to see people more talented and diligent than myself have taken an idea and actually done something with it.
Not sure where everyone is at... but, general thought:
Whoever winds up producing this can likely sell it for a good price on eBay (or a similar distribution method). There's a decent market for Fight Club-themed clothing like jackets and sunglasses.
Also: you would not find this level of collaboration or ingenuity on Litreactor. Trust me.
I've never seen it anywhere else, but i'm not a good fashion representative.
I would guess it has to be out there though. I can't see them going to the trouble of making a specific t shirt for a movie. Probably just something they found in a thrift store.