Artists Reimagine Hypebeast for Its 20th Anniversary
“It shows the full spectrum of culture and does it with a visual clarity we respect,” said Rodolfo Hernandez and Matteo Vessella.
When Hypebeast approached Rodolfo Hernández and Matteo Vessella to help shape its 20th anniversary visuals, the pair saw an opportunity to reinterpret a platform that had influenced them for years.
“Our visual language comes from all the things we grew up with,” Hernández says. “Video games, movies, anime, contemporary art. We take pieces of each world and connect them until the image feels like us.”
Rather than rely on symbols or direct references, the duo leaned into emotion. Vessella explains, “We focused on the vibe. Hypebeast has always carried this raw energy and a sense of discovery. We tried to translate that feeling more than anything else.”
This approach shaped the entire project. Instead of mapping a strict concept, they let the work evolve through instinct. Hernández adds, “There is never an exact moment when the image becomes final. We adjust and refine until we can look at it and say, ‘Okay, this is it.’”
For the anniversary series, the artists explored a mix of synthetic and natural materials, bending familiar shapes into forms that feel slightly unfamiliar but visually striking. “We wanted to reinterpret what people already know about Hypebeast,” Vessella says. “Not by repeating its history, but by channeling its cultural presence.”
“Hypebeast has always been a benchmark for us.”
That presence has been central to Hypebeast for two decades. It has been a place to explore music, sneakers, fashion and contemporary art in one space. The platform’s visual culture helped guide their direction. “Hypebeast has always been a benchmark for us,” Hernández says. “It shows the full spectrum of culture and does it with a visual clarity we respect.”
Their process began with deep immersion, then careful reconstruction. “We study the core elements, internalize them then filter everything through our perspective,” Vessella explains. “The challenge is to honor what the brand stands for while pushing it somewhere new.”
The final images form a focused interpretation of Hypebeast at 20 years in. Each visual is designed to stand alone yet together they build a narrative that reflects both the brand’s past and its momentum. Hernández sums it up: “We wanted this work to last. Something that continues the story and adds to the history of Hypebeast.”
