Gauntlet Gallery
What is Shepard Fairey’s piece called “Zoolander Blue Steel”?
Artist Statement
Zoolander Blue Steel. 18 inches by 24 inches screen print. Signed by Shepard Fairey. Limited numbered edition of 450 prints. $50. "Zoolander is one of my favorite movies, so I was really excited when I heard that a sequel was in the works! I have met Ben Stiller a few times and let him know how much I love Zoolander. I guess flattery occasionally gets you somewhere, because I was asked to do a Derek Zoolander t-shirt graphic to be used in a scene in Zoolander No. 2! Of course I got to work immediately trying to illustrate a ridiculously good-looking ridiculous portrait of Derek. The Zoolander team liked my t-shirt design enough to ask me to do some more portraits of Derek for the Blu-ray release of the original Zoolander film! I gladly accepted with one condition… that I be allowed to make a limited edition screen-printed poster of the portrait. The not-to-be-missed movie, "Zoolander No. 2", comes out this Fri., Feb. 12, and the "Zoolander Blue Steel" print comes out Tues. Feb. 16. I asked Derek Zoolander what he thought of the print, and he was kind enough to share some words of wisdom." - Shepard "I have been a huge fan of Shepherd Fairy since before I was super-famous and was just regular famous. To me, he's not just an artist -- he's like a wisdom-y shepherd who squirts magical fairy-ink (Though I'll never understand why he makes all those pictures of Andre 3000 the Giant. There are other rapper-slash-actors, Shepherd!). So I was super stoked when he asked me to be the subject of his new work of artwork, "Zoolander Blue Steel." I'm no art critic, but I think what he made is really good and nice. Now, why Blue Steel for this portrait and not, say, Magnum? Well, Magnum means "large" in Spanish, and this is a small, limited-edition run of 450 prints. Purchase one or a few hundred, won't you? Art makes you cultured, and being cultured is not just good for Greek yogurt but also for people (both Greek and regular)." - Derek Zoolander
Summary
Zoolander Blue Steel is a 2016 screen print by Shepard Fairey, published by Obey Giant in a signed, numbered first edition of 450 at 18 by 24 inches. It depicts Ben Stiller's character Derek Zoolander in his signature 'Blue Steel' pose, rendered as a stylized portrait. The print grew out of Fairey designing a Derek Zoolander t-shirt graphic used in the film Zoolander No. 2 and additional portraits commissioned for the original film's Blu-ray release. Fairey arranged to issue a limited screen-printed poster of the portrait, released February 16, 2016, alongside the sequel's theatrical debut.
Why It Matters
This print sits at the intersection of Fairey's fine-art practice and mainstream film promotion, making it a clear example of how his portrait language translates onto a comedic pop-culture icon. The source describes its origin in a commissioned film t-shirt graphic that expanded into Blu-ray artwork and then a collector poster, showing Fairey's recurring strategy of converting commercial commissions into limited editions. For collectors, the appeal is the recognizable subject: Derek Zoolander's 'Blue Steel' is among the most quoted images in modern film comedy, and Fairey applies his bold, graphic portrait treatment to it. The record's inclusion of a tongue-in-cheek 'Derek Zoolander' statement underscores that the piece was conceived with humor and movie-tie-in spirit rather than political messaging. Within Fairey's catalog it is a lighter, celebrity-driven entry, distinct from his propaganda and activist work, and valuable as a documented collaboration with a major film franchise. Its relatively accessible original price point and edition of 450 also made it an approachable acquisition for fans of both Fairey and the film, broadening his audience beyond traditional street-art and political-poster collectors.
Collector Perspective
This print appeals to two overlapping audiences: dedicated Shepard Fairey collectors who pursue his full catalog, and pop-culture or film fans drawn to the Zoolander franchise specifically. As a signed, numbered edition of 450 it is a recognizable conversation piece that reads instantly to guests who know the movie, making it well suited to a home theater, media room, or playful display wall rather than a formal political-art grouping. Within a Fairey collection it fills the celebrity-and-film-tie-in lane, complementing his other entertainment-world portraits. Buyers value the documented connection to Zoolander No. 2 and the original-film Blu-ray artwork, which gives the piece a clear backstory. Its humorous tone and accessible original price make it a friendly entry point for newer collectors.
Historical Context
Zoolander Blue Steel belongs to Fairey's mid-2010s output, a period in which he produced a steady stream of collaboration and pop-culture editions through Obey Giant alongside his political and environmental work. The source ties the print directly to Zoolander No. 2 (2016) and a Blu-ray reissue of the original film, situating it within Hollywood-promotion projects Fairey took on during these years. It reflects his long-running practice of leveraging commercial design commissions, here a film t-shirt graphic, into signed limited prints for his collector base. Compared with the activist material that built his reputation, this piece shows the lighter, celebrity-portrait side of his catalog. It stands among other 2016 collaboration releases from his studio and demonstrates how Fairey's instantly recognizable graphic-portrait style could be applied to comedic film iconography while retaining his characteristic bold composition.
FAQ
What is Zoolander Blue Steel?
It is a 2016 screen print by Shepard Fairey depicting Ben Stiller's character Derek Zoolander in his 'Blue Steel' pose. Published by Obey Giant, it measures 18 by 24 inches, is signed by Fairey, and was issued in a numbered limited edition of 450.
How is this print connected to the Zoolander films?
Fairey designed a Derek Zoolander t-shirt graphic used in a scene in Zoolander No. 2, then created additional Derek portraits for the original film's Blu-ray release. He arranged to issue this limited screen-printed poster of the portrait, released February 16, 2016.
What is the edition size and was it signed?
According to the source, Zoolander Blue Steel is a numbered limited edition of 450 prints, each signed by Shepard Fairey. It was published by Obey Giant at an original price of $50.
What are the dimensions and medium?
The work is a screen print measuring 18 inches by 24 inches, as stated in the source record published by Obey Giant in 2016.
Related Works
About the Artist
Shepard Fairey (b. 1970, Charleston, South Carolina) is an American street artist, graphic designer, and activist, and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design. His 1989 “André the Giant Has a Posse” sticker grew into the global OBEY GIANT campaign — an ongoing experiment in propaganda, obedience, and visual culture. He reached worldwide recognition with the 2008 “Hope” portrait of Barack Obama, now held by the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Across screen prints, stencils, murals, and collage, Fairey channels propaganda aesthetics toward themes of peace, justice, environmentalism, and civil rights. His work is in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Victoria & Albert Museum, and LACMA.