Pablo Gutierrez, the acclaimed tattoo artist known as Certified Letter Boy, has teamed up with the popular London fried chicken brand, Dave’s Hot Chicken, to launch an exclusive streetwear collection. The limited-edition range will be available next month, offering a mix of hoodies, t-shirts, and caps designed by Gutierrez.
Certified Letter Boy, who boasts an 18-month waiting list and charges over £1,000 per tattoo, is renowned for his work with high-profile clients, including David Beckham, fashion designer Rick Owens, and rappers Bugzy Malone and Central Cee. His collaboration with Dave’s Hot Chicken brings together his distinctive tattoo artistry and the brand’s fiery reputation.
The collection, which features a design of the Grim Reaper overlooking a flaming cauldron of hot chicken, draws inspiration from Dave’s signature “Reaper” flavor – the spiciest dish on the menu, for which customers must sign a waiver before ordering. “Dave’s Hot Chicken’s ‘Reaper’ is their hottest flavor, and that felt like the perfect visual metaphor for this collaboration,” Gutierrez explained. “Before people get tattooed, they usually get a little stressed, and they have to sign a waiver too. It’s a whole experience.”
Gutierrez, who tried the notorious “Reaper” chicken himself, added, “Trust me, it’s no joke.”
This collaboration is the latest in a growing trend of food and fashion partnerships in London. Celebrity investors, including Samuel L. Jackson and Usher, have helped elevate Dave’s Hot Chicken, which debuted in the capital just before Christmas. The brand is gaining traction, with fans lining up for both its signature chicken and its new streetwear collection.
Keyana Mohammdi, the marketing director for Dave’s Hot Chicken, said the collection represents the brand’s “grittier side.” She noted, “Pablo’s creative vision aligns perfectly with our origin story, coming up from an East Hollywood parking lot to becoming one of the world’s most in-demand chicken restaurants.”
The exclusive collection will be available for purchase at a pop-up shop at Dave’s Hot Chicken’s Shaftesbury Avenue location on March 5 at 6:30 pm. Prices for the streetwear range will start at £12.49, aligning with the cost of a meal at the restaurant.
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