Tom Petty’s Legacy Is Celebrated In A Collaboration With Rodarte
Three years following Tom Petty‘s death, his dream project came to light. His second solo studio album, Wildflowers, was reissued with an
Victoria Liotta
Three years following Tom Petty‘s death, his dream project came to light. His second solo studio album, Wildflowers, was reissued with an expanded track list titled, Wildflowers & All the Rest. The original album consisted of 25 tracks however his label suggested that it was too long, cutting it down to just 15. The Reissue that was released on October 16, 2020 includes the 10 deleted tracks along with home recordings and live performances of the songs. And now, the album has been celebrated yet again with a capsule collection executed by Petty’s daughters and the notable fashion house, RODARTE.
You Belong Among the Wildflowers
“You belong among the wildflowers. You belong in a boat out at sea. Sail away, kill off the hours. You belong somewhere you feel free,” Petty sang. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers easily took to Kate Mulleavy and Laura Mulleavy, the founders of RODARTE, after seeing them live for the first time in 1995. They’ve been fans ever since, with the Wildflowers album making a stain on their favorites list.
The duo founded their fashion brand in 2005 in Los Angeles, California. Distinguished and eccentric, their work is inspired by their vision of the world by means of landscape, art, film, poetry, culture and music. RODARTE has been worn by international icons around the world and parallel to it is RADARTE. RADARTE was launched in 2008 as a casual wear collection with a play on the brands name using the word “rad,” to pay homage to their California roots. And, featured in their casualwear line is the unique limited edition capsule collection saluting Tom Petty.
RODARTE X Tom Petty
Kate and Laura teamed up with Petty’s daughters, Annakim Violette and Adria Petty to release this collection. “Tom Petty’s musical legacy has inspired us deeply as artists,” Laura shared. And Kate followed up with saying, “We are thrilled to be able to work with the Petty sisters on this project, and even more excited that our mother was also able to participate by creating the original flower artwork. It was such a beautiful journey of creation and celebration.”
When it was time to bring the collection to life, both sets of sisters were influenced by the idea of highlighting a new generation of musicians. Photos captured by Photographer Daria Kobayashi Ritch feature Japanese Breakfast, King Princess, Joanna Newsom, Kilo Kish, Weyes Blood, Arrow de Wilde, TWEAKS and Gabbriette, all who have been inspired by Tom Petty’s music. And it only gets better. Staying true to Tom and his passion for mentorship, 25% of the proceeds from the Tom Petty store will be dedicated to the D’Addario Foundation’s Girls in Music Initiative. The non-profit aims to provide the resources that girls need to pursue their dreams in music and beyond through instrument, instruction, scholarships and leadership development programs.
“You belong among the wildflowers. You belong in a boat out at sea. You belong with your love on your arm. You belong somewhere you feel free.”
“It Just Feels Like Wildflowers Sounds”
Annakim Violette said in a press release, “This collection has that 60’s feeling our dad loved so much and it is incredible watching designers so good at their craft creating art inspired by our father’s music. It just feels like Wildflowers sounds.” The limited-edition, screen printed collection includes exclusive t-shirts, sweatshirt hoodies and crewnecks, and sweatpants; all which feature handmade artwork from Victoria Mulleavy, Kate and Laura’s mother. “This is a passion project inspired by my sister and it is a really loving tribute to our dad,” shared Adria Petty. She continued, “We love this collection because it is joyful and is a great opportunity for us to give back to the emerging music community. Laura and Kate are our favorite designers so it’s exciting to see the world of Wildflowers interpreted through their eyes.”
“You belong among the wildflowers. You belong somewhere close to me. Far away from your trouble and worries. You belong somewhere you feel free.”
You can shop the entire RODARTE X Tom Petty collection at MatchesFashion.com, ShopRodarte.com and TomPetty.com.