Where Fashion, Art, and Culture Unite: H&M, Ev Bravado, and Téla D’Amore Collaborate on a Collection Featuring Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Works

By Giovanni Luvel

In collaboration with New York-based fashion designers Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore, H&M’s latest collection celebrates Jean-Michel Basquiat’s legacy and his influence on young Black creatives. This 30-piece collection fuses Basquiat’s iconic and rarely seen artworks with Bravado and D’Amore’s stained glass motifs and expressive designs.

Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore, who were semi-finalists for the 2024 LVMH Prize and finalists for the 2023 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, are renowned for their meticulously crafted pieces, expert garment distressing, and upcycled denim. Through this H&M collaboration, they continue to blur the lines between fashion, art, and culture, enhancing Basquiat’s legacy with placement prints, embroidery, and embroidered patches of his artworks on their signature silhouettes.

Basquiat is regarded as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century. Inspired by his journey from street artist to celebrated art figure, Bravado and D’Amore view Basquiat’s legacy as a constant reminder of the limitless possibilities they can achieve.

“Basquiat has always been an influential and larger-than-life figure for us. Having the opportunity to explore his archives and select rarely referenced artworks is a blessing. The Basquiat estate has been incredibly supportive of our vision. Bringing this collection to a global audience with H&M makes it even more special because it will be widely accessible,” say Ev Bravado and Téla D’Amore.

“Ev and Téla have rapidly emerged as some of the most exciting voices in fashion, and we knew they would honor Jean-Michel’s vision while infusing their unique style into his work. A key aspect of his legacy is empowering and amplifying 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 and managers of the Basquiat estate.

The 30-piece collection features tailoring, jackets, short-sleeve shirts, jeans, hoodies, t-shirts, a dress, a skirt, a corset top, and accessories. Highlights include a bomber jacket adorned with the vibrant artwork “Ass Killer” (1984) and embroidery of the designers’ arched window, a black blazer featuring Basquiat’s scribbles about jazz greats Charlie Parker and Miles Davis (“Discography 1,” 1984), and luxe black leather trousers referencing the artworks “Untitled (Ideal),” 1988 and “Untitled (World Famous),” 1983. Other standout pieces are the unisex distressed denim jacket and matching jeans with Basquiat’s art integrated into the recurring window design.

“Ev and Téla have reinterpreted Basquiat’s iconic art through a contemporary lens, creating a collection that feels fresh, meaningful, and exciting. They have a deep understanding and connection to Basquiat’s life, values, and art—and how it resonates with today’s cultural climate. This collection follows their maximalist, ‘more is more’ philosophy, but the artistic approach really ties into Basquiat and makes the collaboration a standout,” says Ana Hernandez, Menswear Designer at H&M.