The iconic brand is celebrating its 90th anniversary as an unconventional blank canvas by creating a mural in the heart of London with the famous British street artist.
Zippo x Street Artist D*Face unveil London mural together
Throughout the brand's long history, Zippo lighters have been a small and unconventional place where unparalleled artistic talent could express itself. Zippo continues this tradition of highlighting unconventional art and celebrating creativity in all its forms this year thanks to the collaboration with street artist D*Face.
"The windproof Zippo lighter has been an unconventional blank canvas for 90 years; a small but fine platform on which individuals can express their personal style and creative spirit. Our new 540° color decoration process makes the smallest details possible, allowing us to present D*Face's incredible design with an equally impressive effect as the mural itself," explains Lucas Johnson, Global Senior Brand Manager at Zippo.
D*Face's unique mural was unveiled during the first London Mural Festival, introducing the brand's latest design innovation, the 540° color decoration process, and presenting the Master of Murals' distinctive urban style and subversive take on pop culture. The bold new design is a subversive self-portrait that reflects the blending of culture and media that surrounds us in the 21st century; a nod to the brand's iconic pop culture status and its commitment to individual expression. The mural is the centerpiece of a global marketing campaign.
The artwork is part of the London Mural Festival and came to life in Kings Cross, London, along with 40 other murals by international and local artists from across the city. The goal of the Mural Festival is to present the city as a blank canvas and to celebrate creative individuals worldwide.
"It is great to be part of this collaboration with Zippo. I was born and raised in London and have considered the streets of the city blank canvases for as long as I can remember. So it feels good to be able to participate in the first Mural Festival. As for the lighter, I have grown accustomed to my murals being temporary, but it is great that this is a kind of permanent artwork in miniature format and that you can put it in your pocket. Cool that a lighter has become an unconventional expression of urban art", says D*Face.
Zippo has recorded a 'behind the scenes' video showing that D*Face used various media and techniques for his 7 x 11 meter mural - Watch video.
The mural is permanently captured on a limited edition windproof Zippo lighter - a canvas that lasts a lifetime and is part of a 3-part Zippo Street Art Collection. In addition to designs by Marija Tiurina, Pref and Tristan Eaton, the collection showcases the brand's latest innovation: the 540° color decoration process. This new process allows Zippo to add full-color designs to the windproof lighters, wrapping around all edges and surfaces, making it the perfect canvas to showcase the work of street artists. You can buy the collection here.
Graffiti artists who visited D*Face's artwork during the festival's opening weekend also had the opportunity to immerse themselves in the House of Zippo, through a door behind the artwork. A unique, experimental art x retail space with live demonstrations by participating artists.