Few things capture the imagination the way a balloon can. There they float, buffeted by the wind, soaring about aimlessly. Andy Spade and filmmaker Van Neistat recently found themselves inspired by the idea of hovering rubber orbs. Together they hatched a plan to float pairs of Spade’s Sleepy Jones pajamas in large weather balloons from nine locations across the country. Neistat, of the filmmaking duo, Neistat Brothers, was particularly drawn to the concept of finding random treasures that had floated out of the sky. “The idea for this project came to me out of my love for cinematic balloon cameos in films like The Red Balloon, Badlands, Walkabout, and The Black Balloon—along with the sensation I got when I found a $20 bill on the street in New Orleans last Christmas Eve at sunset,” he said. As the road trip progressed across the country, Spade and Neistat teamed up with Miranda July to announce launch locations through her Somebody app and also through Instagram.

Here’s the sort of scene Spade and Neistat envisioned:

In Montauk, Austin, Joshua Tree, Santa Monica, and finally Napa, balloons floated and landed, much to the delight of onlookers. After all, we are such stuff as dreams are made on.

By Elizabeth Varnell

Pictured: Miranda July launches a Sleepy Jones balloon in Santa Monica.
Photo by Van Neistat