BESPOKE: HARLEM, HENDRIX AND THE HUSSARS

Jimi Hendrix Hendrix had his big break in Harlem back in the early 60s and would not only leave a mark on the pop culture scene but would make one particular fashion look iconic for the following decades to come.  Hendrix started getting noticed in 1964 when the young musician soon after moving into the Hotel Theresa and would eventually win the amateur talent contest at The Apollo which put the guitarist on the map with the local entertainment crowd.  Gigs at The Palm Cafe on 125th Street and other famous uptown hotspots would be important in the early part of the legend's career and eventually led to tours with some of era's most notable bands.  This would in turn eventually help the formation of the Jimi Hendrix Experience which catapulted the musician's work to another level.

On a fashionable note, the mid part of that decade eventually saw the influence of hippy movement which was in full mode and traditional military jackets became in vogue thanks to Jimi Hendrix.  The Hussars Jacket were intricately braided formal military coats worn in Europe starting from around the 18th Century and Hendrix often wore one such vintage piece while performing on stage or for photo shoots.  Since then, other musicians have copied the look and many fashion designers have since come up with versions of the famous Hussars jacket every other few seasons or so.