Black Milk Clothing

7/9/12 – Day of the Dead Leggings

The other day, a friend had introduced me to Black Milk Clothing who are currently selling Day of the Dead leggings. The website features a range of leggings, t-shirts, dresses, skirts and shoes that can be purchased online. The Day of the Dead leggings features a range of Mexican skulls in different colours, patterns and designs. The material or the fabric also appears to have a metallic surface that also adds to the overall design.

I am beginning to recognise that there are many companies and creative organisations who are beginning to use Day of the Dead imagery for advertising and product design. I have suddenly noticed that there are local bars, cafes, restaurants and art galleries that have introduced the Day of the Dead to Melbourne’s street culture.

According to the Black Milk Clothing website the leggings were inspired by the Mexican sugar skulls that invite the dead to the celebration. The website also refers to ancient Aztec mythology in relation to the Day of the Dead such as the “goddess of the underworld,  Mictecacihuatl”. (Black Milk)

 

I began to wonder who is Miccteacihuatl and how is Aztec Mythology conveyed in the Dead of the Dead celebration? In Skulls to the Living Bread to the Dead in Mexico, Stanley Brandes explains that the Aztecs had created bas reliefs with ancient gods and goddess that were juxtaposed with the human skull. Brandes quotes “Similarly stone sculptures representing Miccteacihuatl, goddess of the underworld and of the dead, also show the face in the form of the skull” (Brandes, 2006 p.52)

Perhaps this would explain why women usually wear the skull makeup that has become a popular representation in the contemporary culture. The Day of the Dead Leggings from Black Milk Clothing are definitely on list of things to buy and the website is worth checking out!

http://www.blackmilkclothing.com/collections/leggings/products/day-of-the-dead-leggings

Brandes, Stanley. Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead. The Day of the Dead in Mexico and Beyond.  Australia: Blackwell Publishing, 2006 p.52

Image Citations:

http://melissa-cherry.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/black-milk-ammo-release-restock.html

https://svpply.com/item/1818839/Day_of_the_Dead_Leggings__Black