We Can’t Help Ourselves
Teasers of the Vans X Van Gogh silhouettes have been circulating around the internet for a while, but we have confirmation that the drop is happening here, in Malaysia. Despite all the hype however, the collab is or a good cause – The Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam will portion part of its profits to preserve the legacy of he renowned artist and his collection, making sure that future generations are able to see and discover his work. Several of Van Gogh’s most iconic pieces are transplanted into different Vans silhouettes, of which we’ll detail further down.
Out of the 2,100 pieces of work that Van Gogh has produced, only 4 were chosen that were in line with the creative ethos of Vans as well as showcasing personal moments from the artist’s familial history. Skull, Almond Blossom, Sunflowers and Van Gogh’s self-portrait are the ones chosen to be highlighted in a new way.
The Classic Slip-On is chosen to highlight Skull, which began when Van Gogh began to formally study art. He centred his focus around colour theory through a series of skeletons that captured shade and light in an irreverent and dark expression. A long sleeved tee, hoodie, and hat with a drawing of a human skull completes the art piece highlight.
Sunflowers get dissected to cover all panels of the Authentic silhouette, and carried over into the Boyfriends Tee and Hoodie. Almond Blossom symbolizes new life and represents Van Gogh’s search for serenity, and to bring the print and its colors to life, Vans designers digitally printed Van Gogh’s painting atop a satin material to cover the Almond Blossom Bomber, hat and backpack.
But the one that we think is the best out of all is the Old Vineyard with Peasant Woman, printed across the Old Skool and Slip-On which features excerpts from handwritten letters from Vincent to his brother, Theo. 700 letters were sifted through and carefully selected to be featured on the Slip-On model.
The insole includes custom footbed art that is reminiscent of the artist’s brush strokes with co-branding together. Each piece also feature a special hangtag that highlights historical facts behind each piece of Van Gogh’s art.
“We are delighted with the Vans x Van Gogh Museum collection, as it ties in with our mission to make the life and work of Vincent van Gogh accessible to as many people as possible in order to enrich and inspire them”, said Adriaan Dönszelmann, Managing Director of the Van Gogh Museum. “By uniting Van Gogh’s iconic artworks with iconic Vans styles, our partnership brings Vincent’s art “Off The Wall” and into the world to a new audience outside the museum.”
The Vans X Van Gogh will be releasing at Vans retail stores on August 3rd. Keep your eyes peeled readers.
