“You belong among the wildflowers / You belong in a boat out at sea…”
The 1994 lyrics of Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers” are today the catalyst for the launch of a new, unique capsule collection, inspired by the words and world of the late musician’s masterpiece album. And it’s all brought together by family.
Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the founders of the legendary fashion house Rodarte, have joined forces with Tom Petty’s daughters, Annakim Violette and Adria Petty, to release the limited edition Radarte x Tom Petty Wildflowers capsule collection.
It was 1995 when Kate and Laura went to see their first Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers concert during the legendary Dogs With Wings tour. The experience left a deep musical impression on the sisters and “Wildflowers” has remained one of their favorite albums.
“Tom Petty’s musical legacy has inspired us deeply as artists,” said Laura Mulleavy.
Tom Petty was no stranger to performing on the East End. Over the years he headlined shows like the “All for the Sea” benefit concert at Southampton College in 1999 and performed at the Hampton Social @ Ross concert in 2007, at The Ross School.
“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,” said Kate Mulleavy.
The screen-printed collection includes t-shirts, sweatshirt hoodies and crewnecks, and sweatpants, with the artwork handmade by the Mulleavy sister’s mother, Victoria.
“This collection has that ’60s 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,” said Annakim Violette.
“This is a passion project inspired by my sister and it is a really loving tribute to our dad,” said Adria Petty. “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.”
Through the collaboration, The Mulleavy and Petty sisters wanted to highlight a new generation of musicians.
Photographer Daria Kobayashi Ritch shot eight musical artists who have all been influenced by Petty. The photos feature musicians Japanese Breakfast, King Princess, Joanna Newsom, Kilo Kish, Weyes Blood, Arrow de Wilde, TWEAKS, and Gabbriette, each donning ‘Wildflowers’-era archive wardrobe mixed in with the new collection.
To continue Tom Petty’s legacy of mentorship, 25 percent of the proceeds from the Tom Petty store will be dedicated to the D’Addario Foundation’s Girls in Music Initiative, which provides resources for girls to pursue their dreams in music through instrument instruction, scholarships, and leadership development programs.
For over 30 years the foundation has given children from underserved communities access to music education and mentorship opportunities. It invests in hundreds of grassroots non-profit programs providing free or low cost, immersive music education and youth development. One hundred percent of every dollar donated goes directly to supporting independent music organizations.
You can shop the collection on matchesfashion.com, ShopRodarte.com, and TomPetty.com.
