PacSun makes museum merch cool in its newest collaboration.
The teen specialty retailer partnered with The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) and its global licensing agency Beanstalk to create a capsule collection of fall and winter essentials.
As the annual stage for the Costume Institute’s Met Gala and frequent backdrop to youth-centric shows such as “Gossip Girl”—not to mention home to more than two million pieces of art—the iconic New York City museum is part of the Gen Z zeitgeist.
“It’s undeniable that the past has a weighted influence on fashion, and Pacsun, together with global licensing agency Beanstalk, wanted to highlight the rich history of The Met through a merchandise and apparel collection that would celebrate that history,” said Brieane Olson, Pacsun president. “The collection consists of styles fit for anyone to wear, allowing consumers to outfit themselves in the art that shaped, and is still shaping our culture.”
Drawing inspiration from the museum’s collection, the PacSun design team worked closely with The Met to ensure styles stayed true to the original works of art. The 30-piece genderless collection, formally called “The Study of Fine Arts: Highlights from The Met Reimagined by PacSun,” spans sweatsuits, T-shirts, hats, socks and more with a focus on 19th-century paintings of florals and luscious landscapes.
The collection references muted tones seen in artworks by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo and Henri Fantin-Latour. The colors contrast with Vincent Van Gogh’s more vibrant green-heavy works.
T-shirts and sweats feature graphics of the various artwork, while others play with The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s branding in multiple designs. Van Gogh’s “Wheat Field With Cypresses” is applied to carpenter pants and a sweatshirt. Tiepolo’s “Allegory of the Planets and Continents” is printed across a sheer mesh long-sleeve top. Other masterpieces are woven into knit sweaters as allover prints.
The size XS-XL apparel collection retails for $30-$80. Accessories retail for $14-$28.
“Beanstalk is thrilled to see Pacsun’s unique artistic vision come to life in this creative partnership with our client, The Met,” said said Linda Morgenstern, Beanstalk’s VP of brand management. “This beautiful collection inspires consumers to experience art in a new way, juxtaposing it with self-expression and their own personal style.”
Museums and their treasures have become a popular source of inspiration for fashion.
Circular denim brand Mud Jeans teamed with the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam this fall for a recycled denim capsule inspired by the famed artist. Items feature lasered details such as the handwriting and phrases from Van Gogh’s letters and embroidered prints of his paintings.
Dr. Martens has a partnership with The National Gallery in London. The latest collection features the boot brand’s signature styles covered in the work of Van Gogh, Oscar-Claude Monet and Georges-Pierre Seurat.
“The arts continue to be important to our consumers and community, and partnering with such an iconic museum that has resonance in the fashion world, felt like a natural collaboration for us,” Olson said. “We were grateful that several of The Met’s most notable and important works were made available to us for this collection.”