New Era, the world’s leading sports and lifestyle headwear brand, have teamed up with one of the globe’s most influential artists, Takashi Murakami. The collection features the iconic Murakami flower and Mr. DOB characters across variations of New Era headwear and apparel.
The collection originally launched on January 1st in Japan and is now available for purchase by European consumers from March 4h, 2022.
Known for his use of bright colours and cheerful patterns that carry deep meanings, Murakami’s work transcends boundaries of fine art, popular art, cultural criticism and taste-making fashion design. His Superflat art movement—which brings together Japan’s art history, manga and anime imagery and a curiosity of the otaku subculture—has inspired artists globally while expanding access to creative artforms for people of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
The Murakami designs will come to life on New Era products that have shaped streetwear trends for decades. The initial drop includes 8 different styles of headwear and two apparel offerings, with more pieces being released later in the year.
- NEW ERA X TAKASHI MURAKAMI 59FIFTY FITTED: Countless brightly coloured flowers cover the entire crown and brim of one of the three 59FIFTY styles available, while another design combines embroidered flowers with New Era’s logo mark. One of the styles, a black cap with Murakami’s flowers artfully placed around the crown, will be available exclusively at neweracap.eu.
- NEW ERA X TAKASHI MURAKAMI CASUAL CLASSIC: Murakami’s DOB character makes an appearance on one of the New Era Casual Classic designs, and the New Era logo mark is flanked by flowers with stems on another style.
- NEW ERA X TAKASHI MURAKAMI APPAREL: A long-sleeve shirt will be available in black, and a short-sleeve t-shirt will be available in white. On the black long-sleeve shirt New Era’s logo rests on a bed of flowers. While on the white short-sleeve shirt “New Era” is written across the chest in university-style lettering covered by Murakami’s characters.
The New Era x Takashi Murakami collection will also feature cap designs on New Era’s 9FIFTY Snapback, 9FORTY Adjustable and 9FORTY Trucker silhouettes.
“New Era is passionate about collaborating with talented people and great brands to create iconic products that energize the lifestyle culture across the globe,” said Mark Maidment, Senior Vice President Brand at New Era. “We’re thrilled to release this collaboration, spearheaded by our New Era Japan team, which combines New Era’s classic style with the transcendent artwork of the immensely talented Takashi Murakami.”
