Admirers of Cowboy Kate and the master behind her iconic image, Sam Haskins, came out last night to Milk Gallery to celebrate the newest art and fashion collaboration.
Sam partnered with Tommy Hilfiger to create two books of his art: Fashion Etcetera: Standard Edition and Fashion Etcetera: Tommy Hilfiger Special Edition, which look at the 50 years of creativity from Sam and marks the end of a two-decade dry spell of books from the photographer. The author’s edition retails for $67.50 and will be available from select book stores as well as online, while the Tommy Hilfiger edition sells for $100, which will be available at the designer’s specialty stores and the exhibit. The partnership and exhibit will be celebrated at Milk Gallery from September 17 through October 26.
Sam’s son, Ludwig, commented on the bridge that the fashion brand created with the art world, saying, “The relationship is a very inspired set on the part of Tommy Hilfiger to use art sponsorship in an edgy and dynamic way. Art sponsorship redefines your brand, it puts it into new territories and by using Sam, Tommy was particularly inspired because of that fashion style link. It wasn’t just another artist, it was an artist with a philosophical overlap. It’s resonated with what Sam has always wanted to do, which is on the one hand visually sophisticated, but on the other hand, philosophically have an openhearted celebration of life, woman, beauty, nature, and all its manifestations without any dark complications. And a new audience is discovering him.”
And while the great Sam Haskins wasn’t in attendance due to suffering a stroke a few days prior, his spirit was felt by all. The family embraced his fans and supporters, as his son shared the good news that Sam was in such good spirits he was able to sign a multitude of books for the evening.
