Robert Graham and Pixar Team Up; Kate Spade Unveils Campaign; Paris Hilton Collabs With Quay; Honoring Virgil Abloh and Aaliyah
FEELING ANIMATED: Robert Graham is teaming with Pixar Animation Studios to create special collections tied to some of its most popular films.
The Pixar x Robert Graham collection will encompass 12 men’s and four women’s pieces inspired by “Toy Story,” “Luxo Jr.,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Cars” and “Up.”
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Key pieces include a women’s hoodie and jogger from “Up” that features the figure of a pheasant amid vibrant floral patterns. The men’s assortment includes an allover print inspired by the city of Tokyo from “Cars 2” across the front and back of a Ka Chow zip-up jacket and matching pants with a checkered flag racing stripe on the side.
Other pieces include sweaters, woven shirts and shorts, joggers, graphic T-shirts and scarves.
Andrew Berg, president of Robert Graham, said: “Our shared goal was to create a wearable art collaboration for adults revealing Pixar characters/symbols through creative and sophisticated design.”
“Robert Graham really took all that they learned about Pixar and all the art that we were able to provide them as inspiration and reinterpret it in a way that we had never seen before,” said Jen Tan, director of consumer products at Pixar Animation Studios.
The collection, which will be issued in two drops, will retail for $68 for the scarf to $328 for a long-sleeve shirt and will be available beginning Thursday on the Robert Graham e-commerce site as well as in its retail stores. A second drop will be available at the end of the month.
Robert Graham has long been known for its creation of apparel featuring wearable art images. For its 20th anniversary in 2020, the brand collaborated with a series of artists including Vincent Van Gogh, LeRoy Neiman and Ryan McGinness. The brand has also partnered with Star Wars and Marvel in the past. — Jean E. Palmieri
EVERYDAY JOY: Kate Spade New York’s spring campaign consists of six vignettes that capture the spontaneity of spring and the energy it evokes.
Shot by Cass Bird and styled by Stella Greenspan, the campaign features models Birgit Kos, Mayowa Nicholas and Dilone Altagracia, and highlights such moments as a glimpse of the first butterfly of the season and an afternoon in the park with a friend.
“Birthdays, anniversaries and holidays come once a year, but we often overlook the small celebrations that come every day,” said Jenny Campbell, chief marketing officer of Kate Spade New York. “This season is about inspiring our community to find the extraordinary in the ordinary…from crushing a presentation at work, to getting your children out the door on time, to the first arm day you can go outside with a bare leg. The word is facing very challenging times, but our brand has always stood for joy, whimsy and optimism, and our spring campaign is a beautiful expression of that spirit.”
The campaign breaks March 9 across digital and physical touch points in New York City. It will appear in subway station takeovers at Rockefeller Center, Broadway-Lafayette and The Oculus at the World Trade Center. It will also appear in a branded insert in the New York Times Sunday Style section on March 13 — a first for the brand.
An experiential double-decker bus will drive through New York City during the month of March, parking near Kate Spade New York stores. Digitally, consumers can shop directly from the campaign across platforms such as YouTube and TikTok. Campaign content is supplemented through digital creators. — Lisa Lockwood
LOVES IT: Paris Hilton and Quay Australia have teamed up for a special collaboration.
The collection highlights female empowerment, rebellion and unwavering confidence, featuring a 12-piece collection of sunglasses, prescription and blue light glasses.
The pieces range from $55 to $65 and will be available to purchase in-store and online on Quay’s official e-commerce site starting March 9.
“Paris Hilton has been an icon in the fashion, business, entertainment and philanthropic space for decades on end,” Jodi Bricker, chief executive officer of Quay, said. “Her ability to constantly evolve, start new trends, innovate in multiple industries and now lead in the digital space, all while being an empowered female who empowers others, is exactly why she is the perfect collaborator for Quay.”
Additionally, Quay has also partnered with Project Glimmer, a national nonprofit that serves more than 800,000 young women, for a “Giving Is Sliving” philanthropy program. It includes a $25,000 donation to Project Glimmer, along with $100,000 worth of product. All of March, consumers can round up any purchases sitewide to raise more funds.
“Collaborating with a brand that is both led by women and has such a strong emphasis on empowering women, all while being able to give back with them to a charity like Project Glimmer is exactly what I aim to do,” Hilton said. “Our missions are aligned, and I couldn’t be prouder of our partnership.”
The eyewear company will also host an “Empower Hour” for the girls at Project Glimmer, aimed to inspire them to achieve success in all aspects of their lives and open ideas to new careers.
The collection features dramatic frames as well as bright hues and patterns, reflecting the socialite-heiress’ iconic style from the early Aughts era.
“These frames give you that extra confidence to sliv your best life and go after your wildest dreams,” Hilton said. “The oversize squares, called Total Vibe, are the perfect instant-diva shades, and the narrow shapes in pink and checkered print give you that rebellious trendsetter vibe. The entire collection…loves it.” — Conchita Widjojo
KTIH HONORS AALIYAH: Kith is celebrating International Women’s Day with a collaboration capsule for Aaliyah.
The New York City-based retailer teamed up with the Aaliyah Estate and photographer Robert Whitman to produce apparel bearing images of the late R&B singer. Kith Women T-shirts and hoodies feature custom Kith font detailing, Whitman’s photos of Aaliyah, one of which is a collage of photo prints, or have phrases like her nickname, “babygirl,” on a cropped crewneck, and “Let Me Know,” the opening and repeating line in the single “At Your Best” from her first album “Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number.”
In addition, the retailer produced five unisex vintage-style T-shirts in a range of colors.
“I’m a huge fan of Kith and all that Ronnie has achieved, in taking that first store in Brooklyn and expanding it into a brand that touches the four corners of the globe. Aaliyah was born in Brooklyn, grew up in Detroit, and went on to touch the whole world with her light and creativity,” said estate manager and Aaliyah’s brother, Rashad Haughton, in a statement. “That’s why I felt that Kith would be the perfect partner to release unseen photos of my sister on their incredible fashion designs.”
Haughton approached Kith founder Ronnie Fieg and Kith chief impact officer Sharifa Murdock in 2020 to partner on a project to honor the singer. While working together, Kith learned that Aaliyah graduated from her high school, the Detroit School of Arts, with a 4.0 GPA. They created a short film on the school’s current dance team and their principal, Dr. Mayowa Lisa Reynolds, who spoke about the singer’s impact on the school.
“It was so gratifying to be on set with the passionate, energetic young dancers at the Detroit School of the Arts,” Murdock said in a statement. “I learned so much from them in the time we spent together filming — they made me want to be back in high school. Aaliyah’s spirit truly lives on in their bright talent and futures, and the most fitting tribute we could conceive to give her is to help support them in this small way. Rest In peace.”
The collection launches Tuesday at all Kith shops. Fifty percent of the proceeds will be directed to Aaliyah’s alma mater, the Detroit School of Arts, and to I Support the Girls, a foundation that collects and distributes essential items and hygenic products to women experiencing homelessness, impoverishment and distress. — Obi Anyanwu
STUDENT MATTERS: The Fashion Scholarship Fund’s annual gala will salute an assortment of student recipients, as well as the late Virgil Abloh.
Slated for April 11 at The Glasshouse in New York, FSF Live plans to celebrate Abloh’s impact on the fashion industry, including advocating for equity and inclusion. Abloh, who died of a rare form of cancer at the age of 41 in late November, served as a FSF board member. In addition to starting Off-White more than 10 years ago, he also served as men’s artistic director at Louis Vuitton in recent years.
At next month’s event, the newest group of 23 Virgil Abloh “Post-Modern” Scholarship Fund Scholars will be honored. The fund is geared to supporting academically promising students of Black, African American or African descent. During the gala, $1 million in scholarships will be awarded in total with 120 FSF Scholars from the U.S. being among the recipients. Guests will also get a glimpse of the students’ work.
Attendees will also be honoring Neiman Marcus chief executive officer Geoffroy van Raemdonck for his efforts to help advance young people of color through mentorship and other initiatives. He is well-versed about the FSF: some of the next generation of industry talent have benefited from The Heart of Neiman Marcus Foundation’s partnership with the FSF.
Snowboarding company Burton will soon be auctioning 10 exclusive snowboards that Abloh designed to benefit the Virgil Abloh Post-Modern Scholarship Fund. The auction gets rolling on March 15. The snowboards are imprinted with Abloh’s manifesto and are part of his final collaboration with Burton.
In other student news, Li Edelkoort and Philip Fimmano have announced the eighth edition of the Dorothy Waxman International Textile Design Prize. Geared for a current or recent graduate student specializing in textiles or fashion, the prize is for those who practice sustainable thinking and creative innovation in textiles. The Dorothy Waxman award is part of the duo’s “Talking Textiles” initiative that enhances textile education and creativity. Submissions are being accepted through June 30 and the winner will be revealed at the end of September, during the Talking Textiles Conference. — Rosemary Feitelberg
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