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On February 15, 2018 Iconic fashion brand Sean John released its first major collaboration of the year, featuring visionary artist Jean Michel-Basquiat.
YRB attended an exclusive event held at the Agora Art Gallery in New York City.
The BASQUIAT X SEAN JOHN collection merges the worlds of fashion and art to create an elevated partnership that transcends all realms of pop-culture.
This imaginative intersection of creativity and eminence illustrates an unparalleled versatility that Sean John has embodied since its inception.
“We wanted to pay homage to Basquiat’s creative genius with this capsule collection”
said Sean John President, Jeff Tweedy.
“Basquiat’s influence on culture transcended race and class to highlight more pressing issues on society that are still relevant today. Using his art as a medium to fight racism, combat cultural appropriation or rebelling against power structures—Basquiat always challenged the standard. We felt that it was vital to tell his story and educate our consumers on this talented artist.”
The collection focuses on Basquiat’s pieces—Pez Dispenser, Melting Pot of Ice, and Dog, 1982—and makes a statement by expounding upon Sean John’s popularly known aesthetic.
Basquiat’s bold style is exemplified through the ‘Pez Denim Jacket’s’ uniquely casual feel and the abstract ‘Basquait All Over Tee’, marrying different mediums to actualize each piece.
“Despite never being formally trained Basquiat was able to transition from an underground unknown in New York City to an internationally acclaimed artist. It was his story and steady climb in the art world that really intrigued our team when we were mapping out this collaboration.” said Sean “Diddy Combs.
“Basquiat used his art as a vessel to delve further into his definition of being a black man in America. The Sean John creative team drew inspiration from the culmination of Basquiat’s work by mixing his profound messaging with his daring aesthetic.”
The anticipated collection, sold in-store at Macy’s and online at Macy’s.com, will be available for purchase in February.
More about Jean-Michel Basquiat:
Jean-Michel Basquiat is one of the best known artists of his generation and is widely considered one of the most important artists of the 20th century. His career in art spanned the late 1970s through the 1980s until his death in 1988, at the age of 27.
Basquiat works are edgy and raw, and through a bold sense of color and composition, he maintains a fine balance between seemingly contradictory forces such as control and spontaneity, menace and wit, urban imagery and primitivism.
The Basquiat brand embodies the values and aspirations of young, international urban culture. Basquiat often incorporated words into his paintings. Before his career as a painter began, he produced punk-inspired postcards for sale on the street, and become known for the political–poetical graffiti under the name of SAMO.
The conjunction of various media is an integral element of Basquiat’s art. His paintings are typically covered with text and codes of all kinds: words, letters, numerals, pictograms, logos, map symbols, diagrams and more, and featured multi-panel paintings and individual canvases with exposed stretcher bars, the surface dense with writing, collage and imagery.
More about Sean John:
Sean John is a fashion and lifestyle brand created by Sean “Diddy” Combs. Since its launch in 1998, Sean John has grown into an international megabrand and a staple of American fashion and lifestyle, now serving 18 product categories.
Sean John has been praised for its innovative approach and received numerous awards and accolades including being named Best Menswear Designer of the Year by The Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2004, and twice receiving the FiFi Award for its fragrances (Unforgivable in 2007, I AM KING in 2009).
Sean John has licensing deals with the GBG, PVH, Rothschilds, Peerless, and others. Since 2010, Macy’s has been the largest distributor of the Sean John brand including sportswear, dress shirts, ties, and kids wear to name a few, both in stores and online. Sean John also owns Enyce, a Hip-Hop inspired clothing brand. For more information visit SEANJOHN.COM
