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At BRED Abu Dhabi, a new chapter in cultural fusion was written as Les Benjamins and Futura (Leonard McGurr) unveiled their collaborative capsule collection, a project born from friendship, shared heritage, and a mutual commitment to craftsmanship.
The seeds of the collaboration were sown years ago when Bunyamin Aydin, founder of Les Benjamins, worked with Timothy McGurr (13thWitness), Futura’s son, on a global campaign tracing McGurr’s Turkish roots. A celebratory dinner at New York’s iconic Peter Luger’s, followed by a casual visit to Futura’s studio, marked the beginning of a creative bond between Aydin and the pioneering artist. “Lenny and I always wanted to do things together,” Aydin shares. “Now, our relationship is growing. We want to bring Brooklyn and Istanbul closer together.”
The project arrives on the heels of Les Benjamins’ Japan initiative, commemorating 100 years of Turkish-Japanese friendship. Futura, revered as a living legend in Japan’s creative circles, felt like a natural partner. Together, they designed a collection that fuses Futura’s abstract visual language with Les Benjamins’ hallmark of contemporary Eastern design. “We used Turkish İznik tile floral motifs and combined them with his signature alien,” says Aydin. “One T-shirt that is truly special to me is the Ertuğrul Frigate, the symbol of Japanese-Turkish friendship. People will understand its value many years from now.”
The merging of centuries-old İznik tile artistry with the spontaneous energy of street art posed unique challenges. Respecting the traditional craft while reinterpreting it for a new audience required careful balance. Aydin visited İznik personally, working closely with master artisans to create pieces that honoured the past while pushing it into the future. “Making sure that everything was harmonious was the difficult part,” he reflects.
For Futura, whose career was forged in the streets of New York City, the collaboration was both a creative challenge and a personal joy. “The craftsmanship was first class,” he says of the İznik artisans. “The realisation of these beautiful pieces was fantastic.”
At its core, the collection celebrates “cultural fusion”, a concept Futura describes as “the bringing together of various concepts, communities and creatives”. More than just a fashion capsule, it is a tribute to the relationships between Turkey, Japan, and the broader global street culture. “Fashion has evolved from just clothes,” Aydin says. “For our sustainability responsibility, we are focusing long-term on preserving crafts and artisanship. This is just the beginning.”
The collection launch was accompanied by a signing of Futura’s monogram book, a personal archive of artwork, design, and ephemera spanning his decades-long career. “It is a timeline of my personal story and journey over the past half-century,” he shares.
Choosing BRED Abu Dhabi as the launchpad was no coincidence. The festival’s dynamic energy and diverse audience provided the perfect backdrop for a project steeped in globalism. “BRED Abu Dhabi seemed like the perfect location to welcome individuals to our cultural fusion of street, lifestyle, fashion and design,” Futura says. “Thank you BRED for having us, and thank you Benji for your kindness and truly valued friendship.”
As part of the launch celebrations at BRED Abu Dhabi, Les Benjamins and Futura hosted a special book signing event, giving fans and collectors a rare opportunity to meet the legendary artist in person. The signing sessions took place on April 25th and 26th, where attendees were able to have their copies of Monogram personally signed.
As the collaboration steps into the world, it feels less like a final product and more like the beginning of a new journey, one where storytelling, friendship, and craftsmanship continue to cross borders.
The Les Benjamins x Futura Collection will be available to shop at BRED Abu Dhabi on April 23rd, in-store and online starting April 24th.
