Vans collaborated with the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), one of the most famous museums of modern and contemporary art in the world, to Launch Special Edition Footwear and Apparel this fall, Celebrating the Museum’s Collection and Works by Prominent Artists.
The artists featured reflect the diversity of MoMA’s collection with artworks by Salvador Dalí, Vasily Kandinsky, Claude Monet, Edvard Munch, Jackson Pollock, Lybov Popova and Faith Ringgold.
The first release of footwear, apparel and accessories will launch worldwide Sept. 30 with products featuring iconic works by Salvador Dalí, Vasily Kandinsky and Claude Monet, followed by another installment in November.
Salvador Dalí was inspired by the subconscious, dreams and the imagination in Surrealist works that blend the real and the invented. One of his best-known paintings, ‘The Persistence of. Memory 1931’ has been interpreted on to the medial and lateral panels of the Vans Old Skool Twist. The construction of the footwear model has been twisted to go beyond the perception of reality and is finished with a gum sole and distorted foxing stripe which can also be found on Vans long sleeve and pullover apparel styles.
Kandinsky, a pioneer of abstract art, believed that both color and form evoked their own power and emotion independently from images and objects. Using a print, he made while teaching at the German Bauhaus school of art and design, ‘Orange 1923’, Vans’ Classic Slip-On celebrates this investigation into abstract forms and signs, meticulously covering the canvas uppers and is additionally translated across a short sleeve tee, crewneck and snapback hat.
Rounding out the artist series, Claude Monet, a driving force of the impressionist movement, documented the ever-changing French countryside throughout his plein air landscape work, made from observing nature. The collaboration between Vans and MoMA showcases Water Lilies 1914-1926’, works made in Monet’s later years at his home in Giverny, atop the Vans’ Authentic along with a hat, fleece and backpack style.
The initial release also includes a 10-piece assortment of MoMA branded footwear, apparel and accessories. Showcasing a colorful interpretation of Vans’ iconic checkerboard with bright, bold colors, and takes direct inspiration from the Museum’s newly expanded and reimagined identity. The collection features Vans and MoMA logos across the latest ComfyCush Old Skool and Era silhouettes. The assortment is complemented by Vans and MoMA branded apparel and accessories including long and short sleeve tees for adults and kids, as well as a lightweight cinch backpack.
To spark creative expression and engage children with art, the expansive Vans and MoMA collaboration will also offer an exclusive kid’s and toddlers’ range. The kid’s product line focuses on color and interactivity. Vans worked with MoMA educators to develop a Classic Slip-On with hook-and-loop shapes, which allows kids to customize their shoes and provides a hands-on creative experience. The Old Skool style offers a unique opportunity to educate children about color theory and color mixing by creating a strong distinction between primary and secondary colors in its aesthetic. The Vans and MoMA Old Skool and Old Skool V will include a special hang tag affixed with a genuine color wheel, offering the opportunity to educate children about color theory.
The first wave of Vans and MoMA styles will be available beginning Sept. 30, 2020, on Vans.eu, at Vans retail, MoMA Design Store locations, store.moma.org, and select retail locations where Vans are sold.
