A ‘technicolour parade between land and sea’ is how storied French swimwear brand Vilebrequin describes a new collaboration with Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel, best known for his colourful, geometric mural and sculptures which have appeared throughout the world – from his native Santander to Hong Kong, Berlin and Boston.
It marks the latest chapter in Vilebrequin’s The Artists’ Editions series, which sees world-renowned artists given free rein on the brand’s signature swimwear and accessories. Previous collaborators have included Mickalene Thomas and Racquel Chevremont, Alex Israel, Derrick Adams, Sylvie Fleury and Donald Sultan, as well as multi-hyphenate designer Virgil Abloh; last May, in a collaboration with Swiss art publisher JRP Editions, a series of the pieces were shown as artworks in next-generation art fair Eye of the Collector at London’s Two Temple Place.
The Artists’ Editions by Vilebrequin and Okuda San Miguel
The two different prints created by Okuda San Miguel
San Miguel makes a fitting collaborator for the swimwear brand, which was founded in San Tropez’s 1970s heyday and has long championed colourful prints inspired by artistic movements from Memphis to Op Art. Here, San Miguel’s own vivid pop-surrealist motifs adorn a comprehensive summer wardrobe, spanning swim shorts, beanie hats, short-sleeved shirts, beach bags, pouches and towels.
The collaboration comprises two different prints, both featuring animals, a signature of San Miguel’s work (previous sculptures and murals have featured horses, bears, wolves, pigs and dogs, all recreated in the artist’s signature geometric style). The first features a turtle motif, surrounded by swirling multicoloured lines, for a take on Vilebrequin’s signature mascot (‘multicoloured, multidimensional, a conversation between two icons’); the second features a bold amalgam of animal prints, the ‘Okuda animals’ which are all printed on recycled and organic materials.
‘Humans, animals, we’re all connected,’ says Vilebrequin of the design. ‘It’s a vibrant plea for diversity.’
The Artists’ Editions by Vilebrequin and Okuda San Miguel launches on 25 October 2023.
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