Stitch in Time: Urban Outfitters Debuts Collaboration with Kate Spade Featuring UO Exclusive Prints

Collection

May 22, 2024

Urban Outfitters and Kate Spade New York join forces to breathe new life into one of the brand’s timeless shoulder bags from 1993 introducing it to a new generation of Urban Outfitters customers infused with nostalgic intrigue for the early aughts.

Drawing inspiration from the vibrant tapestry of '90s New York, UO will exclusively debut Kate Spade's bag in three archival prints, reimagined for the modern palette.

“We were thrilled when Urban Outfitters approached us with interest in re-issuing one of Kate Spade New York’s most iconic bags from the ‘90s. We have been brand fans of Urban Outfitters for years and loved collaborating with them on this limited-edition capsule,” said Charlotte Warshaw, VP of Americas Wholesale, Global Licensing and Collaborations at Kate Spade New York. “Together, we hand-selected prints utilizing our brand codes – stripes and dots – from our archive, in addition to a neutral colorway, offering a range of options to meet all our customer’s needs. This capsule delivers a fresh update to a Kate Spade New York classic that could only have been possible in collaboration with Urban Outfitters.”

Dropping online and in select retail locations on May 22ND, the collaboration seamlessly merges the timeless elegance of Kate Spade New York with UO’s eclectic designs, weaving together the essence of both brands through meticulously crafted silhouettes and patterns.

“At Urban Outfitters, everything starts with our customer. Brands matter to our customer and therefore they matter to us. Our core strategy revolves around partnering with the most iconic and relevant brands that resonate with our audience. Kate Spade epitomizes this authenticity, which is why we are so thrilled to launch our exclusive partnership.” - Shea Jensen, President at Urban Outfitters.

To commemorate the unveiling of the exclusive collaboration, Urban Outfitters will host a captivating art gallery opening, curated by artist and creative director Anna Ling of Maruchi House. This immersive event, entitled “Stitch in Time,” will showcase the work of emerging artists whose talents mimic the innovative aesthetic of Kate Spade New York's designs. Featured artists include Cristina Wright, Claire Duport, Isabella Cura, Jennifer Laflamme, Jackie Slanley, and Isobel Mehta, each contributing their unique artistic perspectives to the night's celebration.

Additional programming will include interactive weaving and video installations inspired by the archival Kate Spade New York prints, inviting attendees to engage with the creative process firsthand. Adding to the ambiance, DJ Key will play a live set, infusing the space with beats that echo the energy of '90s New York. Food and drink, including Yuzu Cosmos, will be provided by Spilt Milk Collective.

Campaign and marketing efforts for the collection draw inspiration from both 1993 and 2024, bringing the attitude and quintessential style of ‘90s New York to your screens through a stripped down editorial featuring a playful exploration of the bag’s construction and fabrication. From classic black, to pulsating polka dots and elevated prism-inspired prints, the exclusive assortment serves as a testament to the enduring versatility of Kate Spade New York’s designs, tailored for both the past and present.

Rounding out the campaign and bringing her unique, ‘90s-market-editor voice and sharp wit, Liana Satenstein of Never Worns produces a deep dive on the history of the bag, providing an of-the-moment take on the updated classic.

For more information on the Urban Outfitters x Kate Spade New York exclusive collection, please visit www.urbanoutfitters.com.

About Urban Outfitters
Urban Outfitters is a global lifestyle brand dedicated to fueling the next generation’s individuality through a unique blend of product, creativity, music, and youth culture. Founded in 1970 in a small space across from the University of Pennsylvania, Urban Outfitters now operates over 200 stores across the United States, Canada, and Europe, alongside a dynamic digital presence. Empowering bold self-expression, Urban Outfitters leads with its distinctive designs and curated selection of women’s, men’s, accessories, and home products, and best-in-class brand partnerships. For more information, visit Urban Outfitters at www.urbanoutfitters.com.

About Kate Spade New York Since its launch in 1993 with a collection of six essential handbags, Kate Spade New York has always been colorful, bold and optimistic. Today it is a global lifestyle brand that designs extraordinary things for the everyday, delivering seasonal collections of handbags, ready-to-wear, jewelry, footwear, gifts, home décor and more. Known for its rich heritage and unique brand DNA, Kate Spade New York offers a distinctive point of view and celebrates communities of women around the globe who live their perfectly imperfect lifestyles. Kate Spade New York is part of the Tapestry, Inc. house of brands.

About Maruchi House Anna Theroux Ling is a multidisciplinary creative director from Yokohama, Japan, based in Brooklyn, NY. She founded Maruchi, a new creative agency as a way to combine her multidisciplinary art and photo background with her creative community around the world. Maruchi meaning ‘multi’ in Japanese, is a global community of multi-creatives that are shaping the industry today. We are a new creative house to gather, connect, and make art with individuals of all backgrounds.

ARTIST BIOS
Cristina Wright
Cristina Wright is an explorative artist and collector originally from South Carolina. Her initial studies in textile and fiber art have seamlessly merged with photography and other forms of pictorial imagery. As a self-taught photographer, Wright aptly captures the vibrant colors of the natural world and intimate moments, whether with family or strangers. Driven by dyeing, weaving, and quilting, Wright draws inspiration from personal dreams and reflections of the past.

Claire Duport
Coming from an editorial background, Claire Duport has expanded her work as an illustrator by collaborating with fashion brands and various publications. After working with ink and paper, Claire now translates her research into textile and embroidery through various techniques of quilting and cut-out, implementing her emblems in abstract and eye-catching shapes.

Isabella Cura
Isabella Cura is a painter from Brooklyn, New York. Primarily utilizing acrylic paint, oil pastels, and embroidery, she focuses on emotion through color and space and the therapeutic process of creating, with the core of her foundational work based in art therapy practices.

Jennifer Laflamme
Jennifer Laflamme is an artist based in Toronto, Canada who works with textiles and paintings. Her work is deeply influenced by her interactions with the natural world and reflects the memory and spirit of these experiences. She draws from her background in textiles, using traditional dyeing and pigment painting techniques that are rooted in her Japanese-Korean ancestry. She runs Mifi Mifi, a textile studio in Toronto and is half of Mamu Mifi, a design collective that explores themes of body, femininity, and identity across furniture and sculpture.

Jackie Slanley
Jackie Slanley, a first-generation Vietnamese American artist based in Brooklyn NY, crafts narratives using laser-cut plexiglass as her medium. By intricately cutting and assembling plexiglass with nuts and bolts, she constructs a cinematic gradient composed of layered, tinted transparencies. Using images of plant life, animals, and landscapes sourced from public archives, Slanley delves into the intersections of fiction, botany, biology, and technology.

Employing vector software, she translates these inspirations into digital renderings that draw from images rooted in myth and scientific history. She often engages in work that explores where sculpture and materials meet historical symbolism.

Isobel Mehta
London-based artist Isobel Mehta’s work began as an exploration of dream-like scenarios; nuanced interactions between characters inspired by a life changing trip to Japan. She has since dived into the details; studying the world around her from the clouds in the sky to the cat fur she finds on her clothes, celebrating the softer life moments in an often turbulent landscape. Isobel considers the relationships between colours and form, and is ever evolving a colour palette which emphasizes the enigmatic nature of her subjects.

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