In Paris, 2020, international travel and lifestyle brand TUMI partnered up with eleven world-renowned street artists to support a noble cause. The artists, led by JonOne, transformed the brand’s iconic 19 Degree Aluminum design into unique works of art. In total, they created 26 collectors’ items to be part of a charity contest to raise money for Waves for Water. This exclusive 19 Degree collection was inspired by the theme of “freedom” – the freedom to express yourself, to keep moving no matter the circumstances, to dream in color and make your dreams a reality; the freedom to travel less physically but mentally from home, to discover new local destinations and help protect local communities. Kind-heartedness knows no borders, no bounds.

To participate in the contest and be in with a chance of winning one of the 19 Degree customized cases, art lovers and loyal customers were invited to purchase a water filter to support the upcoming Waves for Water project in Southeast Asia. After the winners were announced, the collection was exposed in the TUMI Digital Art Gallery on TUMI.com, showing all the masterpieces in detail with more details about the artists’ stories.

“Freedom is everything. My work is all about freedom, it is abstract, it is freestyle, you paint what you want to paint. La liberté of expression. We are supporting W4W to give people the essential freedom of having access to clean water (…). Symbolically all comes together, the shape of the 19 Degree suitcase and the water, a Caribbean artist coming from the Dominican Republic where people have water issues.”

In June 2018, the E. Leclerc brand and the Fondation pour le Logement des Défavorisés launched a brand-new two-year partnership: millions of fabric, insulated and standard reusable “bags for life” were sold to customers, featuring six artworks by JonOne.

As part of this partnership, JonOne offers his entire rights to the Foundation as a donation to the sum of €50,000. In addition, the canvas created for the artist’s performance in the Parisian subway was sold to Michel Edouard Leclerc, president of the E. Leclerc hypermarket chain, and the money was put towards the Foundation’s charity programs.

“I had the opportunity to recently meet JonOne with the Foundation at one of his Paris studios. I have been following his work for two years now and I wanted this artist to be included in the collection of works of the Helene and Edouard Leclerc Fund”, shares Michel Leclerc. “I really enjoyed our conversations. He is a talkative person with a wonderful stage presence!”

For the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, JonOne put his name to good use in support of the Fondation pour le Logement des Défavorisés, creating an artwork in a Parisian city square in October of 2015. Using a yellow fence as his canvas, taken from the Abbé Pierre gardens in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, the artist painted lyrics from the song “Le Chemin de Pierre”, written for the Foundation as part of its housing crisis campaign, Abbé Road, launched in June.
The work served as a backdrop for a rap concert organized by the Foundation at Parisian concert hall La Cigale to raise money for the fight against housing precarity. Rappers included Disiz, the duo Orelsan and Gringe aka the Casseurs Flowters, Canardo, Féfé, Georgio and Nemir.

“Coming from the street, I know it’s hard. I’m lucky, I got through it, but I saw difficult things,” said JonOne when asked about his commitment to the Foundation.

For the official launch of the “Perrier Inspired by Street Art” limited edition, Perrier gave carte blanche to artists JonOne, Kobra and Sasu. All three were asked to put their artistic talents to the test in this unique challenge using one unlikely canvas: the Renault 5…

This new form of Street Art expression goes beyond walls, naturally transposing itself onto all objects which make up the urban landscape, such as this car, a true 1980s icon. Perrier wanted to take a socially conscious approach in this project, in keeping with world of Street Art and out of respect for its very founders…

All proceeds from the auction where therefore donated to the Fondation pour le Logement des Défavorisés, a foundation already supported by JonOne, and to the Croix Rouge Foundation.

A Rolls Royce belonging to footballer Eric Cantona was customized by JonOne and auctioned off in January 2013 for the sum of 125,000 euros. All proceeds were donated to the Fondation pour le Logement des Défavorisés. JonOne was commissioned by the former footballer to give his 1984 Corniche a graffiti makeover live on stage for a November episode of Le Grand Journal, a famous French talk show. Eric Cantona then auctioned off the car to raise money for the Fondation pour le Logement des Défavorisés, of which he is one of the sponsors, to fund projects supporting the homeless.

Priced at 20,000 euros, the customized Rolls Royce attracted a great deal of interest. Two bidders fought it out for the exceptional prize. A French collector finally placed the winning bid, well exceeding the used price of the vehicle, in what was described as a new record by the Artcurial auction house.