Sprayground x Sandflower Collaboration Reaffirms Power Of Inclusivity And African Heritage
Images courtesy of Sprayground
Written by Eveline O2
Sprayground, the revolutionary game-changing backpack and lifestyle company whose list of collaborations reads like a Who’s Who in Sports and Entertainment (from SpongeBob to Spike Lee, Chris Brown, and the Miami Dolphins) is adding two new styles to its A.i. collection that premiered last summer in July 2019.
Honoring Africa, the birthplace of humanity, the royalty, pride, love, and power of the African continent, and inspired by its many countries and cultures, Sprayground’s A.i. collection features colorful African motifs and imagery on its backpacks and bags. These two newly-dropped styles come with a mask made in Ghana by Just Glay, a woman-founded Ghanaian studio creating beautiful accessories out of African/Ankara fabric.
Designed by Ben David and artist/musician Sandflower who is also the Director of Creative Experiences at Sprayground, the A.i. collection aptly unveiled its two new lion designs under the Leo Zodiac sign at the end of August. Not unlike a totem, the lion, with its fierceness and loyalty, is intended to awaken the warrior spirit and the born leader inside all of us, and just like the lion took care of his pride, for the wearer to take pride in their community.
The lion’s spirit of royalty and community is further reinforced by the partnership of NFL’s Jarvis Landry and Alvin Kamara, two champion athletes, and supporters of Sprayground.
Sandflower’s African warrior roots and multicultural background, blending the exotic into every day, are seen in her style and heard in her genre-fluid, rap-infused pop songs. Growing up with a musician mom and painter father, Sandflower expertly works both mediums to create her own story – a story that celebrates feminine empowerment, authenticity, and inclusivity of all cultures and ethnicities.
Her style, a purposefully curated blend of a warrior goddess, global gypsy, and urban diva, mixes in African Ankara fabrics, Ancient Egypt, over-the-top glam, Prada, crafted, and vintage, to create a look uniquely her own and stands out, yet that everyone can find something to identify with.
In her videos and shoots, Sandflower delves into her African roots for inspiration, yet manages to maintain this universally-appealing global unifying vision that is both introspective, yet spontaneously expressive and packs a powerful punch.
One of the most defining aspects of Sandflower’s art—whether it’s her edgy, sci-fi music videos, her danceable music, her energetic stage presence, or her eye-catching late night outfits—is her coherent sense of æsthetics and style. “It’s usually some sort of character inspiration at that moment, and then I go on stage and it’s like an amplified version of who I am, a slightly more kickass version,” she explains.
By partnering with Brooklyn musician and artist Sandflower, Ben David further expands his original idea of inclusivity upon which Sprayground has been built over the last 10 years. Both creators celebrate the differences that unite us all, and they both share this ability to be different—yet inclusive, both insider and outsider.
Both Ben David and Sandflower were raised in New York’s melting pot (Bronx and Brooklyn respectively) and are not ones to blend in, yet they masterfully blend the talents and voices of many artists and collaborators from around the globe, creating visually-powerful music and fashion stories that appeal to this youthful global citizen who travels light (with a Sprayground bag, of course), and has their whole world in a backpack.
Ben David and Sandflower are the embodiment of individuality: Sandflower brings together multi-ethnic, multicultural crews for her highly-stylized videos and shoots, uniting all with the same creative core; likewise, Ben David’s Sprayground is a platform connecting like-minded artists and collaborators united by the same creative ethos and energy.
Their art and music awaken the global nomad in all of us, inspiring us to look outwards, to connect, create our own stories and experiences, and contribute to our community. A portion of the proceeds from the backpack sales is donated to Humanitarian Aid & Empowerment, Conservation, and Sustainability programs.
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