Vintage 1977 The Damned DIY-Customised Slashed Punk Sweatshirt

Label: The Damned

Era: Late 1970s — Circa 1977–1979

Composition: Cotton Sweatshirt Jersey.

Details: Early The Damned portrait graphic with bleeding logo; raw-cut sleeveless silhouette; heavily distressed neckline; full-length vertical back slash joined with metal safety pins; cropped, narrow cut.

Condition: Heavily distressed and customised vintage punk condition. The sleeves have been raw-cut to create a sleeveless silhouette, while the neckline is extensively frayed and stretched. A full-length vertical opening runs down the back and is held together with metal safety pins as part of an earlier DIY alteration. The graphic remains remarkably bold against the faded ice-blue/off-white cotton. Sold strictly as found and as-is. Please study the photographs carefully for a complete assessment.

Size: Estimated Vintage Small. Cut in a narrow, cropped 1970s silhouette. Please consult the exact measurements below to ensure a precise fit.

Measurements:
Armpit to Armpit: [Insert Measurement]cm
Shoulder to Shoulder: [Insert Measurement]cm
Total Length: [Insert Measurement]cm

Made in the UK

Dating from approximately 1977–1979, this vintage The Damned sweatshirt captures the confrontational visual and physical language of first-wave British punk.

The front carries an early monochrome portrait of the band, centred on Dave Vanian and anchored by The Damned’s bleeding logo. The strong black graphic remains sharply visible against sweatshirt cotton that has faded to a pale ice-blue/off-white tone.

Rather than remaining in its original commercial form, the sweatshirt has been radically altered through raw cutting and safety-pin construction. The sleeves were removed, the neckline was stretched and frayed, and the back was opened vertically before being rejoined with exposed metal pins.

These alterations reflect punk’s rejection of finished, conventional clothing in favour of garments that could be cut apart, reconstructed and continually changed by their wearer. The extensive wear is therefore inseparable from the sweatshirt’s identity.

With its authentically ages cotton jersey, surviving early graphic and extreme DIY modification, this is a singular piece of The Damned memorabilia and wearable British punk history.