Artist Rob Pruitt Designs Accessories and Shoes for Jimmy Choo

Clutches decorated with 11,000 Swarovski crystals? Why not.

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Artist Rob Pruitt is no stranger to high profile collaborations and recognition. In fact, he organized the Guggenheim’s First Annual Art Awards, which was meant to be like the Oscars but for contemporary art. In 1998, he showed a piece titled Cocaine Buffet (yes, it was a 16-foot line of cocaine) at a gallery in NYC's Meatpacking District. In short, he's always been one to examine, provoke, and redefine the art world.

His latest endeavor is with fashion label Jimmy Choo on a series of leopard-print patent-leather wallets, zebra-patterned high heels, and $15,000 limited-edition panda clutches decorated with more than 11,000 Swarovski crystals. Flattered by the invitation to collaborate, Pruitt dove into the project and created excellent results. In an interview with Bloomberg, he says,

"I think that my art really comes alive when it’s activated in these kinds of ways. I would feel terribly sad if it only had an existence on the walls of galleries and, hopefully, museums."

He also discusses whether or not he'd give up painting and how he thinks fashion ranks with art. Read the rest here and click through to see photos of the collaboration. 

[via Bloomberg]

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