SHEPARD FAIREY, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ARTISTS OF THIS GENERATION, has recently turned his fame into an alliance with Levi’s. The new brand, called Obey x Levi’s, will be a limited-edition selection of t-shirts, jackets and jeans. Fairey recently created an installation in the NYC flagship Levi’s store, and signed 4 new poster reproductions for the event.
I remember photographing Fairey’s “Obey” graffiti in NYC in the early to mid-1990s, thinking how strange and cool the images were. Fast forward to today—the images are on Levi’s. Who would have thunk? Certainly not Shepard, I’ll bet. Funny how things happen.
Via StreetLevel.
7 comments:
I know, when you see enough of this around, you forget what an impact had in the beginning. Like Haring.
Shepard Fairey used to be straight up LEGIT! Not anymore.
I think once you get a sniff of cash your perspective of what "legit" is changes. I think if Levi's wanted to hand me a suitcase of twenties I would "sell out". In this economy??? I say good for him. Although I don't think he's nearly as cool as he used to be. What's next? Obey mugs at Starbucks?
Yea, I hear you Albert and Stefan. I agree. But what the heck— would any of us turn down a million bucks, I don't think so. Success happens to the great and while i know—it sucks to see the once underground street art go corporate—I can't blame the guy. Next up.. a glass corporate headquarters OBEY GIANT INDUSTRIES? Success happens. Shep can never go back. He's tainted... and rich.
I disagree that "success happens to the great". I think that, for the most part, success happens to the white/straight/male/connected/upper-class, etc. "Underground" cred or not. And Shepard Fairey certainly has bits of that background.
This is not to say I don't like his stuff; I do. OR that SF's success does not also include a lot of hard work. My comment is really only directed at the comment that "success happens". In many cases, it's not magic, it's privilege that adds the final element to achieving "success".
fuck "Shep." I hate when graphic designers treat him with respect... of all people they should know he's pretty un-interesting/derivative of a highly referenced and already done (better) genre of design.
itsveryhip.blogspot.com
ummm. did no one see the posters/stickers he did for the Obama campaign. That work was to a much wider spread audience and probably at a far higher price than LEVI is coughing up these days. Yes I agree though LEVIS seems to go against much of his messaging
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