wearAble art

Beau McCall, Button Armor Ensemble, 2023. Armor: metal and plastic clothing buttons, wire; 

denim caftan: designed by Beau McCall with garment production by Strugala; hoop skirt, dimensions variable.

Here, McCall showcases his application of the button without the use of needle and thread. He uses the knotting skill of macramé to manipulate wire and connect the buttons into an elaborate net or cage. The top of the piece features a dramatic collar while the bottom wires stretch out like tentacles; both capped by gold metal buttons. Earth tone buttons accented by gold colored details form the body. When placed over the denim caftan and hoop skirt the work balloons into extravagant proportions, mimicking an opulent opera cape. 

The title is derived from McCall’s 2014 piece titled Button Armor, a smaller scale version primarily worn as a necklace. Through both works McCall has created a series of what he refers to as “armor” to encourage bold, proud, and courageous self-expression through the nonconformity of wearable art. 

Photo Credit: Will Howcroft

Beau McCall, Button Yoke and Apron Ensemble: Flower Power, 2021.  Plastic clothing buttons, embroidery thread, latex, plastic pendant, upcycled Levi’s denim jacket and jeans, 43 x 34 in. (apron), 31 x 18.5 in. (yoke)

During the Covid-19 pandemic, McCall began to create a series of button yokes and aprons. He cuts away the main part of the jacket and leaves the armholes and/or sleeves, chest pockets, and the yoke area which is the piece that fits over the shoulders. For the aprons he cuts away the back of the jeans and adds fabric or material to fill in the space between the front pants legs. 

McCall’s placement of lighthearted and serious messages on an apron (a garment typically used to protect oneself while engaging in various acts of labor) and on a yoke (a part of a garment which as a standalone allows for greater free-flowing upper body movement) speaks to the sense of confidence, security, and freedom he wants to give the wearer. 

In this piece, McCall pays tribute to the hippies of the 1960s and 1970s. Members of this countercultural movement were known to transform their denim attire into wearable art as a form of creative self-expression. The use of buttons with floral motifs and the title Flower Power reference the movement’s emphasis on nonviolence, peace, and love.

Photo Credit: Will Howcroft

Beau McCall, Button Shorts: A Plaid Agenda, circa 1994. Metal and plastic clothing buttons, embroidery thread, upcycled Levi’s denim jeans, 13.5 x 19 in.

Photo Credit: Will Howcroft

Beau McCall, Button Apron: Wood Works, 2021.  Assorted clothing buttons (wood, leather, and horn), embroidery thread, latex, upcycled Levi’s denim jeans, 25 x 25.5 in.

Photo Credit: Will Howcroft

Permanent Collection of RISD Museum

Beau McCall, Hood Classic: The Spike Ice Durag, 2022.  Ceramic clothing buttons collaboration with Glaze Girl Designs and plastic clothing buttons, cotton base collaboration with Strugala, glow-in-the-dark embroidery thread, 74.5 x 17.5 in.

The durags within this series extol the beauty of Black natural hair, and demonstrate an appreciation for durags--fiber scarves used in the maintenance of Black hair and to accessorize one’s outfit. Gaining increased popularity in the 1970s and exploding onto the pop culture stage through hip-hop during the 1990s and 2000s, the durag has been both criminalized and popularized within the mainstream. 

Each work features a majestic train and a crown, both embellished with shimmering clear buttons. McCall then adds custom made ceramic buttons that capture an array of Black hair care tools and hairstyles (many of which have been politicized and deemed unacceptable by mainstream society at various points through history). Through this alchemization of durags and lauding of Black natural hair, McCall engages with issues of identity and respectability when it comes to Black style.

Photo Credit: Donn Thompson

Permanent Collection of Museum at FIT

Beau McCall, Button Jacket: The Revolution, circa 1995. Assorted clothing buttons (metal, mother-of-pearl, plastic, et al.), embroidery thread, upcycled Levi’s denim jacket, size medium.

Beau McCall embellished a classic denim jacket with buttons in the colors of the Pan-African flag (red, black, and green). Created in 1920, the flag represents people of the African Diaspora. African Studies professor Michael Hanchard states that it symbolizes the membership of Black people "in a world of communities, a world of nations."

Description credit: The Museum at FIT.

Photo Credit: Greg Frederick

Beau McCall, Button Bolero: Chocolate Sprinkles, circa 1990. Metal and plastic clothing buttons, embroidery thread, upcycled Levi’s denim jacket, 19.5 x 26.5 in.

A melange of dazzling buttons are sprinkled over this brown denim bolero. When activated by bodily movements the work becomes musical as the jingling sounds of buttons charm the ear. This visual and eargasmic effect is what led to this bolero being included in the 1991 PBS production of The Colored Museum, a play by George C. Wolfe.

During her monologue, the character Topsy Washington (Phyllis Yvonne Stickney) wears the bolero. Topsy recounts an imaginary party that keeps her connected to her ancestors and pride and joy in being Black. The vibrant colors and jingling sounds of the buttons help bring Topsy’s story to life by creating a magical and celebratory atmosphere. 

Watch video footage here.

Photo Credit: Will Howcroft