COMPLETELY SURREAL: Toiletpaper’s cofounders Maurizio Cattelan and photographer Pierpaolo Ferrari have extended their surrealistic influence through a new collaboration with Maison Kitsuné.
Meant to challenge the limits of fashion as art, Toiletpaper’s bright and racy images have been splashed onto T-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, iPhone cases and tote bags. Available as of Saturday in Maison Kitsuné’s New York store, the 15-piece collection is a second act, The first directional capsule collection between both parties debuted in Tokyo. An image of a fluffy white cat surrounded by white mice has been stamped on a smartphone case, and a close-up of a tongue covered with red, white and blue toothpaste decorates a tote bag. Retail prices range from $45 to $630 for the new genderless designs.
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As the evocative name of their magazine suggests, Cattelan and Ferrari are known for pushing boundaries through their artistic and commercial enterprises. Their black humor is evident in Toiletpaper’s collection of plates, mugs, tablecloths, teapots, soaps, umbrellas and other items for the Italian design company Seletti. A plunger, for example, is among the unexpected imagery they have used for that collaboration. Ferrari has shot a few seasonal campaigns for Maison Kitsuné in the past. Earlier this year the design duo shot an ad campaign for the dating service OK Cupid. They have been invited to Saturday’s opening night party, but organizers weren’t banking on their attendance Friday afternoon.
If the capsule collection isn’t enough for shoppers, they will also be able to buy items from the Seletti collection including an armchair, side tables, a rug, mirrors and other home decor images. Amidst the installation, Toiletpaper devotees will also find special edition back issues of the magazine. The Italian-born Cattelan lives and works in New York. In a recent interview, he said, “Living in a big city such as New York is like being on the top of a volcano: You can feel its tremendous energy under your feet, but sometimes it can turn into a destructive power.”