Shepard Fairey’s Obey collaboration with Levi’s debuts today

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Shepard Fairey has had a roller-coaster year. The Echo Park-based street artist reached a career apex when his Obama “Hope” poster was inducted in the Smithsonian, followed by a survey of his work at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art, but lately Fairey has been dealing with the fallout over a public battle with the Associated Press regarding propriety of the “Hope” image.
Overshadowed by all the hoopla, Fairey has headed a clothing label called Obey for eight years. And Obey has partnered with Levi’s for a collaboration of affordable jeanswear debuting today at Levi’s flagship store on Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade (select pieces are available online on both Levi’s and Obey websites).

Items range from a skinny black 511 jeans ($128) to a distressed denim jacket (left, $148) with a built-in black terry hood, both come festooned with Obey patches.

The Obey x Levi’s graphic T-shirts combine Fairey’s trademark Andre the Giant logo fused with Levi’s batwing ($34.50).

If you ever had fantasies of tagging public property, you can stoke your inner graffiti artist with a flannel shirt (right, $118) from the collection that features “spray-paint drip’ details.

The collection runs from $34.50 to $148.00 and a custom Obey bandanna comes with each item except the T-shirts.

Four Fairey posters will be given out at the Santa Monica Levi’s store as a limited-time gift with purchase while supplies last.

Tonight in New York, Fairey is also staging a live art installation outside the Times Square Levi’s Store.

-- Max Padilla

Levi’s store, 1409 3rd St. Promenade, Santa Monica. (310) 393-4899. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Photo credits: Levi’s