The Triple Skull Hoodie (2007): The Piece That Wouldn’t Stay Gone
I made the first Triple Skull Hoodie on a whim one morning in Las Vegas in 2007. Bert McCracken asked for it, and people have been asking for it ever since.
The Triple Skull Hoodie started in 2007, on a whim, while I was in Las Vegas working on production. That’s where I did all my screen printing back then, plus other production when I needed it, like mass dyeing or spray painting.I woke up one morning, did my morning routine, walked over to my spray paint table, and the hoodie just came out of me.
Andrew Hanson’s original Triple Skull Hoodie reborn in 2024
How it came togetherBefore this, if I remember correctly, I was printing directly onto the clothing instead of making muslin patches and sewing them on.I chose yellow because it’s a color I love. The red, well, that one’s obvious. It didn’t pop at first, so I added a third accent color, and boom, the skull had depth.I had just picked up a grommet press for another job (a story for later). I thought grommets would really bring the skulls to life. Living in Los Angeles, the Day of the Dead skulls made a big impression on me, and looking back, I’m pretty sure that’s where the inspiration came from. I wanted the eyes to have depth too, so I used three different grommet sizes.
The Triple Skull Hoodie by Andrew Hanson
Bert and the rest of itWhen I got back to LA, I wore it to Bert’s house. If I remember correctly, he asked for it, and the rest is history.The Triple Skull showed up in so much promo. It probably got more play than anything else I ever made.About a year later, I started offering custom colors online. Clients could choose the three print colors and the grommet finish: nickel, brass or gunmetal.
The Used wearing the Triple Skull Hoodie on the cover of Alt Press Magazine 2007
People kept lookingOver the years, old clients and people who always wanted one kept trying to find me. Eventually they did, and I finally gave in and brought it back.Today people share old photos of the Triple Skull Hoodies they’ve kept all these years. That’s what gets me the most. It’s really something to see that people held on to them. Some have even passed them down to their kids.
One of the best dudes I know wearing his custom Triple Skull Hoodie, 2008
Here to stayWhen I first brought it back, I planned to make it limited and never make it again. But people kept asking, and it was never really a limited piece to begin with, so I gave in again.That’s it in a nutshell. The Triple Skull Hoodie is staying.Every one is still made the original way, by hand, by me. See the Triple Skull Hoodie Still have yours? Send me a photo. I’d love to see where it’s been.
The Buyer Who Pissed Me Off (and Taught Me Everything)
YRB picked me up at my first trade show in 2003. Two years later, I was running ads in their magazine featuring Bert McCracken of The Used, and getting regular product features.
In 2003, I brought my work to my first trade show in Las Vegas "the Punk Is Dead Tour”. Everything was hand-dyed, with images spray-painted directly onto the shirts, along with spray-painted stencil patches and my signature sewing.
Andrew Hanson, 2005 - YRB Magazine advert with Andrew Hanson in his studio
YRB, the NYC magazine and store behind Yellow Rat Bastard, picked me up straight from that show. They became one of my biggest accounts and backed my work for years.
Andrew Hanson, 2005 - YRB Magazine Advert
The buyerI can’t remember the buyer’s name. Isaac, maybe?I do remember that he pissed me off the first time we met. He was a real businessman, and I was the Padawan learner.
Andrew Hanson, 2009 - YRB Magazine t-shirt feature “L.I.E”
I didn’t change what I was making to please him. I stood my ground on my work, but I listened, and I learned a lot from him. If I ran into him today, I’d probably thank him.The adsThese are two ads I made for YRB’s magazine. They featured an elevated version of what YRB had bought from me in previous years: the “N.y.U.k. N.y.U.k.,” a nod to New York, the United Kingdom and the Three Stooges. It even featured Bert McCracken of The Used.
Andrew Hanson, 2005 - YRB Magazine advert featuring his creative process
I documented the whole process, and that was the spirit of the ads. At the time, a lot of people didn’t get why I’d bother. I did it anyway, because the process is part of the work.That’s why this archive exists. Twenty years later, the record shows exactly how these were made.The relationship didn’t stop there. By 2009, YRB was still featuring my work. The “L.I.E.” t-shirt ran in their magazine, including the issue with Nas on the cover.On doing it my own wayI’ve spent over 26 years making handmade work on my own terms. I’ve had a lot of support, and I’ve taken some heat for not following the crowd. I’d make the same choices again.To those of you who were there: I salute you. And to everyone who’s stuck with me through the ups, downs, pivots and experiments: thank you for witnessing the evolution.
Andrew Hanson, 2009 - YRB Magazine T-shirt feature “L.I.E.” with Nas on the cover
Your turnWhat artist, designer, musician or brand do you remember getting overlooked before everyone else caught on?Leave their name in the comments. Let’s give some credit where it’s due.Featured Posts
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YRB picked me up at my first trade show in 2003. Two years later, I was running ads in their magazine featuring Bert McCracken of The Used, and getting regular product features.