Art World
Takashi Murakami’s Vans Collaboration is Just in Time for Summer
Cait Munro
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Pop artist Takashi Murakami has teamed up with Vans to create a series of limited-edition slip-on sneakers emblazoned with his signature flower and skull designs. The cheeky, anime-inspired unisex shoes hit shelves on June 27.
It’s certainly not Murakami’s first brand collaboration—the artist has worked with everyone from Louis Vuitton to Google—but it is one that’s especially dear to his heart.
“Without exaggeration, I have been wearing Vans slip-ons almost every single day. For me, there are no other shoes that are so comfortably wearable that let me focus on producing my artwork,” the artist told the New York Times magazine.
Children’s shoes.
Photo: Vans x Murakami
In addition to the classic sneakers, Murakami added his artwork to Vans t-shirts, skate decks, and even a set of toddler-size slip-ons, all of which will be available online and in select stores this summer. Adult t-shirts will come in three designs: a flower print, a skull print, and one depicting the goateed artist with his hand on his hip, wearing his own flower design.
Murakami skate deck.
Photo: Vans x Murakami
Recently, rival cult sneaker company Converse added Andy Warhol’s iconic Campbell’s soup can designs to a set of shoes, while H&M peddled balloon dog-emblazoned handbags during the Whitney’s massive Jeff Koons retrospective.
Never before has it been so easy to take home a piece of your favorite art market darling.
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