A new line of Los Angeles Dodgers gear takes fandom for a creative spin.
The KAWS x MLB Collection features only two teams, the Dodgers and the New York Yankees, and it was announced this week, just a few days ahead of the Boys in Blue’s trip to the Big Apple to take on the Yankees from July 17 to 19.
“Timed to one of baseball’s most storied rivalries, the collection brings KAWS’ distinctive visual language to the diamond, reimagining classic Dodgers and Yankees iconography through his signature ‘XX’ motif and COMPANION character,” Fanatics and Complex said in a joint news release. “The result is a crossover moment at the intersection of sport, art, and pop culture, where legacy franchises are reframed through one of the most influential artists of this generation.”
Who is KAWS?
The Brooklyn-based artist “straddles the worlds of art and design to include paintings, murals, graphic and product design, and large-scale sculptures,” the release said.
“With their broad appeal, KAWS’ artworks are highly sought-after by collectors inside and outside of the art world, establishing him as a uniquely prominent artist and influence in today’s culture.”
What’s included in the KAWS x MLB collection?
A wide variety of items are part of the collection, “each incorporating KAWS’ reinterpretation of official team marks with his ubiquitous ‘XX,'” the release explained:
- Nike jerseys
- T-shirts
- Hoodies
- Fitted and snapback caps
- Baseball sporting goods like Rawlings baseballs and Marucci bats
- Topps trading cards
Those trading cards will be “produced in limited quantities,” with “special parallel editions and rare, randomly inserted KAWS autographs, designed for collectors and fans alike, positioned at the intersection of trading card heritage and contemporary art,” the release said.
They’ll be available at Fanatics Fest in New York City from July 16 to 19, as well as as the Yankees team store on July 16 and the Dodgers team store on July 31.
The full collection will release globally on July 20 on the websites of Complex, Fanatics, Nike and MLBshop.com, as well as at brick-and-mortar stores for MLB in NYC, Nike and the Dodgers and Yankees team stores.
