There is a strange wave of nostalgia that seems to have settled over everything. The ’80s and ’90s are becoming increasingly fashionable again, both among those who lived through them and for the younger generations who are attracted by a period that is not so distant, but so different that it sometimes seems impossible that it really existed.
Those were the years when freedom of expression came in all forms: music no longer knew any rules, new looks in which Dr. Martens boots ruled the streets, which in turn were covered in writings and drawings made with spray cans. Acts of healthy rebellion by an increasingly aware generation that have created a link between distant places, a fil rouge that has united London, New York, Paris and many other cities. Milan too began to be populated by urban artists ready to leave their tags everywhere.
It was in this climate that Prosa Bang, an Italian street artist who took his first steps in the world of writing, was born and grew as an artist.
After collecting national and international successes, participating in various festivals and being active in the dissemination of “graffiti culture”, Prosa Bang now closes a circle that began almost twenty years ago.
In fact, on the occasion of the opening of Dr. Martens’ first Milanese store in via Torino 49 today, 22 December, the artist was chosen to create an artwork that unites and celebrates both the world of graffiti and that of the English brand, and without even realising it takes us back to those years that we miss so much.
Prosa Bang’s wall recalls the world of Dr. Martens in every single detail and will be the backdrop for all the silhouettes that have been part of the brand’s history since 1901 and that will always be available in store.
From the timeless Boot 1460, which at the end of the last century became the protagonist of all those cultural, musical and artistic movements that revolutionized society from below, to the most modern sandals and loafers that maintain a well-defined character, but adapt to changes and new needs and styles.
With this new Italian opening – which follows those in Rome and Verona – Dr. Martens presents itself as a guide for all those who are not afraid to dare, who express themselves and their values through fashion and what they wear.
We at Collater.al had a chat with Prosa Bang, who sat down in front of our cameras and told us more about what inspired him to do this work. Don’t miss the video interview below and stop by the new Dr. Martens store in via Torino to see his artwork.
PH: Cristina Sinelli
