1990s Gianfranco Ferré Oversized Graphic Sweatshirt God Save The King

This crewneck sweatshirt was made for GF Ferré between the late 1990s and the early 2000s. It is in cream heavy cotton, with stencilled "God Save The King" lettering on the front, red "veryBrit" embroidery on the sleeve and an "English Attitude" script with a portrait print on the back, finished with striped ribbed collar and cuffs.

Gianfranco Ferré trained as an architect in Milan and became known for the precise, constructed quality of his clothes. He was artistic director of Christian Dior from 1989 to 1996, alongside his own house. GF Ferré was his younger, more casual line.

The slogan plays on the British national anthem, famously reworked by punk in the late 1970s. At the turn of the millennium, Italian fashion often drew on British youth culture, translating its irreverence into well-made sportswear.

The graphics work on three sides: stencilled capitals on the front, a red embroidered signature on the sleeve and a script and portrait on the back. The heavy cotton and striped ribs give the piece substance, and the baggy, oversized cut is typical of the period.

Graphic sportswear from Italian designer labels of the late 1990s and early 2000s is increasingly collected. This sweatshirt, in very good condition, wears easily today.