Danh Tran, ’06 BFA Fashion Design
For the 50th anniversary of the Van Gogh Museum I designed a limited edition collection for my brand, Buttercloth, that was inspired by Vincent van Gogh’s appreciation for nature and color.
In this collection, which was done in partnership with the museum, I aimed to capture the spirit of Van Gogh’s point of view throughout the garments, with beautiful patterns incorporating Van Gogh’s rich and colorful floral paintings. The collection includes short- and long-sleeve button-up, tee, and polo shirts.
I explored more than 35 of the artist’s self-portraits to capture the spirit of Van Gogh’s innovation and his love for his craft. Short of money and struggling to find models in Paris, Van Gogh was determined to hone his skills as a figure painter, so he found a simple solution in painting himself using a mirror. In a letter to his brother Theo, Vincent van Gogh wrote, “I purposely bought a good enough mirror to work from myself, for want of a model.” (Letter from Vincent van Gogh to Theo van Gogh, Arles, France, Sunday, September 16, 1888)
Through his choices of color and backgrounds, each Van Gogh self-portrait reflects the continual development of his artistic style. Early dark backgrounds gradually become lighter and more colorful. His brush strokes become more heavily textured with a raised surface, this impasto technique ultimately helped to distinguish some of his best works.
Like Van Gogh, I love my own art form, and have a passion for helping men look and feel good, which is evident in the revolutionarily soft fabric I invented and named Buttercloth. The addition of subtle details and distinctive patterns further define and make Buttercloth garments truly exceptional. This limited edition collection allows the Buttercloth customer to own an exquisite garment while experiencing the mastery and mystery that is Vincent van Gogh.
Tran launched the Buttercloth premium lifestyle brand and fabric in 2017, dubbing the quintessential piece as “The World’s Most Comfortable Shirt.” Following the launch, Tran appeared on ABC’s Shark Tank, where he made a $250,000 deal with investor Robert Herjavec, who continues to help Tran build the brand.
