A Look Into The Shepard Fairey and Hennessy Cognac Collaboration

The world of liquor and art have intertwined with the latest drop of Hennessy V.S Limited Edition by Shepard Fairey. The legendary liquor brand and, debatably, the even-more-legendary street artist, decided to collaborate after a mutual love for each other's work was discovered.

Fairey details how he chose this particular brand, saying:

"For me, working with Hennessy...with the quality of the product, and the ethos, the legacy, it was a really logical thing for me to do because I knew that they were well respected and that they would present a really awesome showcase for my work."

As a street artist, Fairey says he was all too wary of the stigma attached to collaborating with such a widely-known commercial brand. So before signing off on the project, he took a deep dive into Hennessy's history and for good measure, tasted a good amount of the cognac before making a final decision. 

The artist's signature color palette and iconography, including the “star icon," pays tribute to the vast legacy of both iconic brands. 

"Street art can't happen if people can't afford to buy paint," said Fairey. Furthermore, the collaboration is a testament to the idea that the commercial success of an artist plays a vital role in artists using their newly-acquired capital to create as much art—or inspiration—as possible. 

There are 1,500 bottles of the limited edition 40% ABV cognac available in the US, along with a Deluxe Edition in a 2-bottle box set, with exclusive gold and red label designs.

As Fairey explains later, "Hennessy has always been about quality, authenticity, tradition, and elegance."


Jeremy Glass is the Vice editor for Supercompressor and first learned of Hennessy through rap music.