Hyperrealist artist Claire Salvo has a penchant for translating texture into feeling. A matchbook, a handbag, even a piece of fruit—in her hands, these familiar objects become portals into memory, identity, and imagination. Known for her painstakingly detailed renderings using ballpoint pens and colored pencils, Salvo has built a reputation for elevating the everyday into extraordinary works of art, capturing the textures, tones, and quiet beauty of items often overlooked.

For her latest project, Salvo has partnered with Maje on an exclusive collaboration with Bloomingdale’s, creating four original pieces inspired by the brand’s Fall-Winter 2025 collection. The works, which debut at Bloomingdale’s iconic 59th Street flagship as part of the retailer’s Fall Art Program, reflect Maje’s Paris-meets-New-York sensibility and the women who embody both. From a delicately stitched handbag to a vibrant orange featured in the campaign, Salvo carefully selected objects that would highlight a range of colors, textures, and materials, bringing Maje’s codes of understated femininity and bold detail into her hyperrealist world.

The collaboration also includes a short film by videographer Ryan Espinosa, documenting Salvo’s process across some of her favorite corners of New York—from a café in Soho to a park in Tribeca—spaces that hold personal resonance while tying her work back to the urban energy that pulses through Maje’s seasonal collection. “I’ve always loved sharing my process,” she explains. “Even when people see the behind-the-scenes, the finished piece still feels like magic.”

With this project, Salvo finds herself stretching within her own practice, particularly after drawing the orange—a departure from her usual focus on processed, man-made objects. To mark the debut of these works, we spoke to Salvo about her process, the organic intersections of art and fashion, and how a single orange could potentially affect the trajectory of her work.

Your hyperrealist style notoriously transforms everyday objects into extraordinary artwork. How did you select the items that represent the Maje woman for this campaign?

I wanted the drawings to represent a range of colors, textures and materials. The bag and ring are from the Maje Fall-Winter 2025 collection and the orange was featured in the campaign. The matchbook is inspired by the Maje woman, and the intersection of New York and Paris.

Fashion and fine art don’t always intersect. What excites you most about this crossover between your practice and a brand like Maje?

To me this partnership perfectly represents the qualities that fine art and fashion do have common; they’re both expressive, personal and meticulous. Maje gave me a lot of creative freedom with these pieces and I think that trust speaks to how organic the crossover can be.

This campaign also includes a short film capturing your process. How important is storytelling outside of the artwork itself for you, and what do you hope people take from the film?

I've always loved sharing my process. I love giving people a peek behind the curtain—showing them what materials I'm using, how something looks as I'm working on it. And I love that somehow the finished piece still feels like magic. I hope people see that inspiration can come from the everyday—from places I've been to 100 times, a conversation with a friend, a quiet moment alone drawing. For the shoot, we went back to some of my favorite and most nostalgic places in the city: a cafe in Soho, a park in Tribeca. These places hold so many memories for me but were mostly new to the film crew, so I loved sharing these spots and stories with them.

Hyperrealism requires incredible attention to detail. What details within the Maje collection or brand identity stood out to you most during this project?

There are some delicate pieces in the collection – like the stitching and the Maje logo on the handbag. So subtle yet thoughtful; things I might not even have noticed if I hadn't been zoomed into a photograph drawing them.

Looking ahead, are there themes you’d like to explore next that further the ideas you began working with in this collaboration?

Drawing the orange revealed a thread I'd like to pull. I don't usually draw organic, unprocessed materials (fruits, veggies, etc), but I loved the way that piece turned out. The process felt more fluid, less mechanical, and I'd love to explore more of that.  

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