H&M, Ev Bravado, Téla D’Amore collaborate on collection featuring Jean-Michel Basquiat’s art

 
The late Jean-Michel Basquiat serves as inspiration for the latest H&M collaboration, with New York-based designers Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore of Who Decides War.

With the support of the Basquiat estate, the 30-piece collection blends Basquiat’s iconic work with Bravado and D’Amore’s stained-glass motifs and designs.

The collection includes jackets, short-sleeve shirts, T-shirts, jeans, hoodies, a dress, skirt and corset top, and accessories. The bomber jacket features Ass Killer (1984), a blazer has Basquiat’s scribbles about Charlie Parker and Miles Davis (Discography 1, 1984) and trousers that reference Untitled (Ideal) (1988) and Untitled (World Famous) (1983). The unisex distressed denim jacket and matching jeans have Basquiat’s art within Bravado and D’Amore’s window design.

Who Decides War gives voice to the culture of people of colour in the US, especially the black community. Their work features upcycling, dramatic garment distressing, and the busting of conventions. They were semifinalists for the 2024 LVMH Prize and finalists for the 2023 CFDA–Vogue Fashion Fund.

There is an obvious connection to Basquiat, who began as a street artist and whose works were major exemplars of the neo-expressionist movement. His works often featured social commentary and highlighted the systemic nature of racism through power structures.

Bravado and D’Amore believe that Basquiat’s legacy serves as a reminder that there are no limits to what they can achieve.

‘For us, Basquiat has always been an influential and larger than life figure. To be able to comb through his archives and select rarely referenced artworks is a blessing. The Basquiat estate has been super-supportive of our unique vision. Providing this collection on a worldwide scale with H&M makes it ten times more special because it will be largely accessible,’ say the duo.

‘Ev and Téla have quickly become some of the most exciting voices in fashion, and we knew that they would honour Jean-Michel’s vision while adding their own distinct style to his work. A central tenet of his legacy is to empower and amplify young black creatives, and through H&M’s global platform, we hope to inspire a new generation of artists to carry on his creative spirit,’ say Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux, sisters of Jean-Michel Basquiat who run their brother’s estate.

‘Ev and Téla have translated Basquiat’s iconic art through a contemporary lens, resulting in a collection that feels new, meaningful and exciting. They also have a deep understanding and connection to Basquiat’s life, values and art—and how it all resonates with today’s cultural climate. This collection follows their maximalist, “more is more” designs, but the artistic approach really ties into Basquiat and makes the collaboration a standout,’ says Ana Hernández, H&M menswear designer.

The collection will be available from July 18 at hm.com and at selected stores.