Shot in 28 daysNavyS to XXXL
The essentials: a film shot in 28 days that became the biggest hit of 1976. Collegiate ROCKY BALBOA lettering, stars, PHILADELPHIA. PA, white on navy. No glove, no face: the people who know read it instantly, everyone else sees a varsity hoodie. Hooded sweatshirt, kangaroo pocket. 6 sizes from S to XXXL, European cut — take your usual size. €49, free standard shipping.
Twenty-eight days of shooting
The first Rocky was shot in twenty-eight days, on a budget the studios had cut to the bone because Sylvester Stallone refused to give up the part. Some of the Philadelphia street scenes were filmed without permits, handheld, to save money.
It came out at the end of 1976 and became the biggest American hit of the year, before winning Best Picture in 1977. That contrast is what the collegiate register of this design plays on: the typography of the university teams, applied to a character who never went near a campus.
The artwork
A centred composition on four levels. ROCKY in an arc, in double-outlined serif capitals — the collegiate typography of American varsity sweatshirts. Under the arc, a row of three small stars, then BALBOA flanked by two large stars, one either side.
PHILADELPHIA. PA closes the composition in condensed capitals. Print in white on navy. Plain back.
The garment
Lined hood with a drawcord, kangaroo pocket, ribbed cuffs and hem. Straight cut, set-in long sleeves.
Technical specification
Your size
European cut: take your usual size, with no adjustment and no Asian sizing to convert. Six sizes,S to XXXL, all at the same price. Worn over training kit, go up one size.
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Frequently asked questions
How long did Rocky take to shoot?
Twenty-eight days, on a budget cut to the minimum because Stallone would not sell the script unless he played the lead. Some Philadelphia street scenes were shot without permits.
What is collegiate typography?
The serif capitals with a double outline used on American university sports kit, set in an arc over a name or a number. It is the register this print borrows.
What does PHILADELPHIA. PA mean?
The city and the state — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where the film is set and shot. It closes the composition in condensed capitals.
Was Rocky Balboa a real person?
No, he is a fictional character, though Stallone wrote the script after watching Chuck Wepner last fifteen rounds with Muhammad Ali in March 1975.
What size should I take?
European cut — take your usual size, with no Asian sizing to convert. Six sizes from S to XXXL, all at the same price. Over training kit, go up one.
How do I care for the print?
Machine wash at 30 °C / 86 °F inside out, no tumble dryer, and never run an iron over the print. Heat transfer film holds for years on that routine and gives way to heat, not to washing.
