| December 24, 2009 | Gary Robinson Dies November 21st, 2009 |
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Gary Robinson Designer & Friend |
Gary Robinson passed away on the morning of November 21st, 2009. "He was a very good friend — and was becoming a better one." Many people associate Gary with Tom of Finland through the Tom of Finland Clothing line. After an exhaustive study of Tom's art, designers Gary Robinson and David Johnson produced a collection that brought the artist's vision to three-dimensional life. The line was embraced by fashion editors, featured in music videos, and covered prominently on both fashion television and the E-Channel. In operation between 1995-2002 the creative team were the golden boys of Bryant Park fashion week, being invited to return each consecutive year. The Absolut Vodka runway show toured the major cities of America showcasing in the top named nightclubs. The boys were ill prepared for the high level of success the line produced, and being underfinanced were forced to close in the end of 2002.
On May 17, 2006 ToFF held a cocktail reception in Manhattan to celebrate Tom of Finland: Coming of Age, a 21-piece exhibition of extraordinary drawings. This evening’s event was made possible only through the focused efforts of three remarkable New York City men: Gary Robinson, Mark Nelson, and Brian Crede who all cochaired the gala exposition at the host venue, the Charles Cowles Gallery. More recently, Gary visited the Foundation during the 2009 Los Angeles LGBT Pride Celebration in West Hollywood. Tom of Finland Foundation was named as an Official Honoree. Gary led a crew that "styled" the TOM Camino for the parade. Gary was also on hand as the Foundation accepted Christopher Street West's Pat Parker Award. The Pat Parker Award recognizes an individual or organization that supports the LGBT spirit through the arts. This award is dedicated to the legacy of Pat Parker, a ground breaking Africian American lesbian poet and activist.
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