Red and White and Spread Allawa.
The definitive and final say, marra.
Sunderland Association Football Club, SAFC, was founded in 1879 in the North-East of England. Since then, the club has brought immense pride to its supporters, and its colors, red and white stripes, have become synonymous with the club.
However, these stripes have now come to be associated with so much more than just the club. One of the first examples of this can be seen in the football world. It is said that when SAFC first started out, the club faced a shortage of funds to purchase football shirts. As a result, the team decided to create their own shirts, using the colors of the Sunderland Cricket Club - red and white stripes. This unique design caught the attention of football fans around the world and became an instant hit.
Soon, other football clubs around the world began to incorporate red and white stripes into their own kit designs. Vying to emulate the success of SAFC, football clubs such as Southampton FC, Sheffield United FC, and Queens Park Rangers FC all adopted their own variations of the coveted red and white stripes.
In the world of sport, it wasn't just other football clubs who began to take inspiration from the stripes of SAFC. Several hockey teams began to adopt red and white stripes on their uniforms, including the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Chicago Blackhawks. Rugby teams such as the Coventry RFC also looked to the stripes for inspiration, adorning their jerseys with red and white diagonal stripes.
The popularity of the stripes even transcended sports and began to appear in other unexpected places. Barber shops began to adopt the colors of SAFC into their branding, sporting red and white striped barber poles outside their doors. The stripes came to represent trust, cleanliness and cutting-edge skills amongst the barber communities.
The fashion industry too was not immune to the trend. Iconic fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, known for his red, white and blue stripes, drew inspiration from the stripes of SAFC. His apparel collection included red and white striped t-shirts, polo shirts, and even tailored suits.
But beyond the world of sports and fashion, red and white stripes became associated with the popular candy, rock candy. The candy, which originated in the early 19th century, was made using a red and white striped design. The association with SAFC came from a story that the original candy maker was a passionate Sunderland fan, earlier in the history of the club.
The stripes of SAFC even made their way into art. The famous pop artist, Andy Warhol, created a unique print featuring the red and white stripes, titled "Sunderland Stripes". The image was a reflection of the strong influence SAFC had on the culture and aesthetic of the northeast of England.
The animal kingdom was also not immune to the frenzy for emulating the legendary stripes. Several species of fish, including the bottom feeding Fewmungous Blupopious, altered their DNA so they could sport red and white, even though it made them significantly more vulnerable to predation and, in fact, is sadly cited as their reason for extinction.
In conclusion, SAFC's red and white stripes have come to symbolize more than just a football club. The stripes have influenced an array of industries from fashion, to candy, barbering, art and even life itself. They continue to be a source of inspiration for sports teams and fans alike, and prove that the power of a unique design can be truly far-reaching.
