...is the brainchild of famed US contemporary artist, William Quigley. Skrapper started in 1999 as a socially consciousness brand hosting art, fashion and music events supporting a variety of charitable causes. The first being equality. As the New York / LA contemporary art world grew internationally, Quigley used Skrapper as a billboard to showcase art, build a community and share its philosophy about culture to a wider audience. Each piece is a reinvention from an original artwork transforming his restless creativity into a wearable canvas that blur the lines of Art + Fashion.
Our mission is to collaborate and license partnerships with other artists, athletes, brands, influencers, musicians and foundations focused on fostering awareness for the friends and charities the brand relentlessly supports.
History
Based on his boxer paintings from the late 90s Skrapper was conceived by Quigley and close friend, musician Pete Francis founder of the band Dispatch. Francis started Skrapper Records in 2000 asking Quigley to design Dispatch's "Who we Living for" the first of several albums they worked on together. He used the title from a 10 ft painting made days after being in the midst of the April 29, 1992 Rodney King Riots. Working with graphic artist Jeremy Miller, JBird, they created a website, clothing, and epic artistic video stage shows with "Mr. Wiggles, a character Francis named Quigley, who painted or danced on stage, bringing a fresh new fun act to the bands underground viral uprising. Dispatch rose from playing opening acts to selling out venues like Irving Plaza, Sommerville, and Roseland. In 2004 110,000 fans surprisingly showed up for their supposed final concert at Boston's Hatch Shell. Three years later Pete Francis built a band from his Middlebury dorm room to the first US indie band to sell out Madison Square Garden 7x in 2007 + 2015 too touring sold out stadiums internationally. Currently Skrapper is enthusiasticly again promoting Francis' fast growing new music venture The Dragon Crest Collective.
Since 1999 Skrapper has done 9 runway shows during NY & LA Fashion Week. The line first premiered at the infamous Limelight in NYC and Pantages Theater in Los Angeles. On Quigley's birthday April 29, 1999 he debuted an art show with a collection of hand painted skirts and tshirts for models and cocktail servers to wear during the exhibit. Before the opening Quigley introduced beverage sponsors Grey Goose Vodka owner Sydney Frank to Arne Zimmerman of Red Bull, mixing the random concoction as a cocktail for the first time. Skrapper continued to host Grey Goose/Red Bull events at galleries, restaurants and night clubs in NY until 2005. In 2005 partnered with Uncle Funky's Jeff Gaites & Stoked's Eric Weinrib coming up with the name Boarding for Breast Cancer organizing an event for Sony's film Lords of Dogtown at Milk Studios curating 107 artists, actors and musicians to paint on skateboards provided by Tony Alva. In 2009 Skrapper collabed with Vinum Cellars bottling 1600 limited reserves of Skrapper CabFranc released at The NY RedBull Space Skrapper Fashion Show. The latest fashion shows were in East Hampton 2015 utilizing Quigley's Schenck Fuel garage studio as a dressing room while having a combination Art Opening / Runway show and a month later one of the first to run it's line a top the NY Highline during NY Fashion Week.
Graphic artist Seth Lamburn started working with Quigley in n 2012. Lamburn's talents and long experience working with over 30 apparel brands have been vital in transforming the original paintings into apparel and products that represnt the artists expressionistic style while maintaining its integrity.
In April 2020 his father, William Quigley passed. Almost immediately WAX founder William E. Quigley from Oakland, CA reached out randomly wanting to discuss minting a series of NFTs. The Quigley’s partnered with Skrapper designer Seth Lamburn in June 2020 selling out 714 NFTs in less than a minute. WAX released 2 more Skrapper NFTs selling nearly 3000 on 3 drops.
We are so grateful to all the Sponsors and Friends. If we left anyone out please forgive us and Thank You!
The brand's creative approach has been fortunate to have influenced collaborations with so many wonderful generous friends like: John and Joanna Boynton, Factory PR, Medici Med Tokita Foundation: Dr.Ken & Karl Tokita, ArtScape@The Bradford Mill Wheelhouse, John Sumas, Phil Marber, Alex Zweig, Senter Johnson, Brian Sullivan,Robert Beal / Related, Giel and Diane Millner, Alfred Heitkonig, Eyvind and Lisa Johanessen, Soho Art Supply/ John Segal, John Hoekman/ The Meriwether Group, Dean Kilroy, John and Liz Theofolis, Shaquille O'Neal, Ross Patridge, Keith Stoltz, Scott Cooper, Dana Brunetti, Kevin Spacey, Jim Edwards and Lisa Ferri, Mayer Brown LLC, Ronnie Rivellini, Josh Garay, Conrad Steinman, Jeff Bandman, Hugo Boss, Merc, Jonathan Robbin, Ray and Sherman Foote, Joe LaRosa, Electric Lady Studios, publicist Venezio Ciampa: The Promo Fact, Schenck Fuels, John Demsey, MAC Cosmetics, Estee Lauder, Barton Perreira, Arne Zimmermann, HBO Curb Your Enthusiasm, Uncle Funkys Jeff Gaites, Stephen's Talkhouse, Gregory Brown etc
So Many Talented, hard working Artists, Musicians, Photographers, Designers including : Pete Francis, Dispatch, Madonna, Prince, Paul Tillotson, Michael Fredo, James Wormworth, Mike Merritt, Outkast, Paula Abdul, Brian Charette, Craig Dreyer, Elisa Jordana, Tom Petty. Photographers: Joseph Fredo, Jon Edwards, Dominic Musacchio, Antoine Verglas, Bill Livingston, Ryan Sherman, Peter Ruprecht, Nigel Barker, Zev Tambor, Cynthia Cortes, Hassan Kinley, Yann Dandois, Sarah Bahbah, Neil Tandy, Seana Cavanaugh, Steve Vaccariello, Michael Dweck, Peter Beard, Artists: Seth Lamburn, Eric Heimbold, Andy Warhol, Steve Hurd, Manuel Ocampo, David Fincher, Liam + Patrick McMuilan, Dick Buckley, Patty Perreira, Michael Whetstone, Andy Dick, ArtScape Concord, Ben Moon, Francesco Civetta, Sara Balint, Max Nova, Kimyon Higgins, Brian Whitley, The Chin Twins, Stuart Bronstein, Jared Aufrichtig, Angelica Morrow, Parker and Clayton Calvert, Victoria De Lesseps, Michael Manning, Peter Weiss, Walt Lindveld / The Montauk Beach etc.
And a special thanks to all the countless models, stylists, hair and make up artists who helped put Skrapper on the map. Ara Versani, Mario Wilson, Anne Keating, Mark Silver, Erica Lavalent, Kimberly Woods, Tonne Goodman, MtAC Cosmetics, Estee Lauder, Tony Lucia, Chris Pappas, Omahyra Mota, Shaun Ross, Giulianna Ramirez, Jaime Moon, Sara Balint, Adriana Lima, Laura Petersen, Dayana Pires, Paris Hilton, Vincent LaCroq, Vanessa Simmons, Ana Lisboa, Adrien Verglas, Isaiah Trusty, Jordan Rand, Lisa Phillips, Ford, IMG, Jamison Ernest, Q, Storm, Elite, Woman, LA and NY Models etc. We owe so much to all of you.
Designers: Seth Lamburn, Kilroy Creations, Chilly Bears, Katie and Stephanie Theofilos, Jenna Rivers, Nicole Moss, Gabriela Pires Swimwear Brands: The Firm, Grey Goose, Red Bull, Urban Outfitters, Diesel, Everlast, Adidas, CLIC, TENET, Christiane Celle,Versani Jewelry, George Wayne, City Magazine, Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Promo Fact, Factory PR, Corazon Tequila, Casamigos, Russian Standard, Bombay, Casa del Sol etc.
Skrapper has proudly organized or participated in events supporting: Boarding for Breast Cancer, The Gerald and Michelle Fineberg Price Center, Guild Hall, The Jimmy Fund, God's Love We Deliver, Tusk, African CCF, Montauk Skate Park, WaterMill Art Center, The Concord Umbrella, ArtRageous, Children's Museum of the Arts, Make A Wish, VH1 Save the Music, Soldier Ride, Wounded Warrior Project, Yellow Ribbon Foundation, Walk for Diabetes, Rohhad Association, 4bySix London, American Patriots Foundation and the Artists and Writers Charity Softball Game among others.
Quigley's first show was in Philadelphia 1985 with Andy Warhol at Henry S. McNeil's Vanguard Gallery. His work has been exhibited globally at galleries, art fairs and museums such as ArtBasel, ARCO, FIAC, ArtLA, Spring Break, ArtMiami, ArtHamptons, ArtChicago, LAart fair, Germany, Venezuela, England, Italy, Switzerland, India and Spain. With over 470 individual collectors, throughout his career, he has reoccuringly painted for charity, fundraising, or awareness, using his skill for publicity to the benefit of thousands. Consisting mostly of large challenging abrtract works, he has painted portraits of many distinct people, including, and in some cases for, Presidents George Bush, William Clinton, Donald Trump, Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Mick Jagger, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Jordan, Shaquille Oneal, Jackie Robinson, LeBron James, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Roger Federer, Wayne Gretzky, Eminem, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Muhammed Ali, Bruce Springsteen, Ice Cube, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson etc. In 2007 was featured on ABC Life Styles of the Rich and Famous and honored at Lincoln Center as VH1 Visual Artist of the Year.
In 2021 partered with Director Sarah Scribner in AB NY Gallery. Quigley opened the space in a Los Angeles mini mall storefront in 1996.
