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Also known as Patti Smith’s other half, Robert Mapplethorpe was an American photographer best known for his provocative black-and-white photography. Not unlike the raw, adamantly against-the-grain musicians he surrounded himself with, from the beginning Mapplethorpe had a DIY sensibility, producing his own Polaroid photographs, a process which he deemed “more honest.”
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Upon being gifted, years later, a Hasselblad 500 camera by Sam Wagstaff, benefactor and mentor, Mapplethorpe had a perspective shift, and he began focusing the lens on his circle of friends and acquaintances — artists, musicians, socialites, film stars, and members of the S&M underground. Today, the late creative legend’s legacy lives on, in a vast, provocative, and powerful body of work that has solidified him as one of the 20th century’s canonized artists, and a perennial inspiration on photography and music culture who is still represented in galleries across the globe.
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As a brand forever aiming to highlight and uphold creative icons whose work has been influenced by, and influenced, the music industry from all angles, today PLEASURES released a collection entirely inspired by Mapplethorpe’s art, and global impact.
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The collection consists of 16 different items. Look for this collection dropping today (Nov. 3), available on pleasuresnow.com and other global retailers. Partnership done in collaboration with Artestar, a global licensing agency and creative consultancy representing high-profile artists, photographers, designers, and creatives.
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Photography by Nikki Nixon
Styling by Carl Lovestrand
Modeling by Zack Bond