Earlier this year, Metallica and Billabong announced that they had joined forces for a 2019-2020 surfwear collection, which will be released in five product deliveries, each designed according to a different album/theme — including original concept art by revered artist Pushead — through March. The first delivery revolved around Metallica's "Black Album." Today, December 6th, Billabong released the second delivery, titled "Metallica x AI Forever" and inspired by the band's classic Eighties anthem "Seek and Destroy." The capsule features an assortment of surf trunks, T-shirts, tank tops, fleece hoodies and corduroy jackets that celebrate the relationship between the thrash-metal OGs and late, great world champion surfer Andy Irons. In 2007, Billabong enlisted Metallica to create a collection featuring Irons, which established a lasting bond that endured beyond the athlete's untimely passing nine years ago. As such, a portion of the proceeds from the "Metallica x AI Forever" collection will help support the Andy Irons Foundation in its efforts to create positive outcomes for youth in need. "Andy was a rebel in a rebellious sport," Metallica's James Hetfield commented. "And that's a great thing to have."
See some standout pieces in the latest capsule below, and watch members of Metallica and the Billabong surfing team sharing their take on the new collection. You can check out both drops in the collection on Billabong's site.
