Just in time to co-exist with his Whitney exhibition, Jeff Koons: A Retrospective, Jeff Koons has taken over H&M’s newest Fifth Avenue flagship store with his Balloon Dog inspired line of handbags.
This limited edition cross body clutch will also be sold in H&M flagships throughout the United States, and online. While the Fifth Avenue flagship isn’t set to open to the public until July 17 at noon, celebrities, models, and fellow artists, were able to attend a private shopping event to be the first to “snag the bag.” The genuine leather clutch is a mere $49.50, opposed to Koons’ larger then life Balloon Dog sculpture, which was sold at Christie’s Contemporary Art Evening Sale for $58.4 million dollars. (Note: Koons’ orange Balloon Dog has become the most expensive work sold by a living artist to date.)
H&M has previously collaborated with fashion designers including Versace and Isabel Marant but their Koons collaboration marks the very first with a contemporary artist.
Above are some photos from last night’s event. All are courtesy of Angela Pham/BFAnyc.com.