BAD BUNNY AND ZARA PRESENT BENITO ANTONIO
INSPIRED BY PERSONAL STYLE AND TO THE CREATIVE IDENTITY OF THE ARTIST

BAD BUNNY and ZARA present BENITO ANTONIO, a collection rooted in the personal world of Benito Antonio MartÍnez Ocasio, in the instinct that has him guided, in the identity that defined his work and in the vision that shaped everything he touches. BENITO ANTONIO is available starting May 21st on zara.com and in a selection of Zara stores all over the world.

The world got its first taste of it without realising it. February 8, Benito took the stage of the Apple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show in Santa Clara in front of over 100 million spectators, becoming the first male Latin artist to headline the show, wearing custom looks developed in collaboration with Zara. Then came the Met Gala on May 4th, where he showed up transformed into a more adult version of himself, wearing a custom black tuxedo drawn by himself, once again developed together with Zara. Then, on May 16th, before any official announcement was made, Zara had transformed the shop in Plaza Las Américas in San Juan into a dedicated pop-up space, offering Puerto Rico the first opportunity to discover the collection from alive, before the rest of the world. That same afternoon, Benito made a surprise appearance.

The story had already begun to tell itself. Like everything Benito creates, the work came first. BENITO ANTONIO is precisely the expression of that world. 

Created together with its longtime creative director, Janthony Oliveras, the 150-piece collection was entirely conceived in Puerto Rico. Every detail, the silhouettes, colours, graphics, fabrics, the fit, was approached with intention and instinct. Nothing was included to chase a trend or fit into a formula. The garments reflect the way Benito has always dressed: personal, natural, expressive and authentically his. The collection goes through tailoring, oversized essentials, broken material, graphic statements and summer garments designed with the same sense of security, individuality and ease that has always defined Benito’s personal style.

The visual identity of BENITO ANTONIO was developed with M/M Paris in close collaboration with Benito, drawing inspiration from Puerto Rico’s everyday landscape, power poles, urban infrastructure, handcrafted textures, and details that often go unnoticed until someone chooses to look at them differently. This perspective has always been at the heart of Benito’s work: taking what belongs to Puerto Rico and bringing it to the centre of the global conversation without changing it to make it understandable.

The campaign was photographed in Puerto Rico by STILLZ, the creative force behind some of the images most iconic of Benito’s career. In the shots, Benito is sitting alone on a rock in the ocean next to a handcrafted wooden boat with a sail assembled using pieces from the collection. The images reflect Benito’s instinctive approach to creativity, resulting in something personal, intentional and entirely his own.

Selected Zara stores around the world have been transformed to reflect the atmosphere and language visuals of the collection, extending the universe of BENITO ANTONIO beyond the clothing itself. More than a collaboration, BENITO ANTONIO is the reflection of Benito’s identity, of his creative evolution, and of the vision that has always made his work impossible to ignore. BENITO ANTONIO will be available from May 21st on Zara.com and in selected Zara stores around the world.

more. www.zara.com