“The first significant piece of art I ever purchased, once I had a little bit of discretionary income, was one of Donna’s paintings,” explained Creative Director Cheryl McMullen. “I still have it and I still love it. I’ve always loved her artwork; she uses strong, happy colors, and she paints strong, happy cowgirls. Naturally, that’s something that resonates with me, and I’ve wanted to capture that in a collection for a long time; this opportunity to collaborate with her gave the overall essence an angle and avenue that made sense.”
This was one of the most comprehensive collaborations we’ve ever done. The collection name, Cowgirl Rising, is borrowed from the title of the 1997 book showcasing her artwork. Donna’s paintings have been collaged into conversational prints, reworked into ponchos and scarves, and we adapted some of her backgrounds into this season’s signature scaled-up Southwestern prints. We even reimagined one of Donna’s forever favorites from her very own closet.
It’s a happy collection in every sense. It’s a creative collaboration with one of our artistic idols, yes, but it’s also bigger and bolder than that. It’s a love affair with color, a testament to courage, and an homage to the complexity and competence of cowgirls.
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