Vans – U-Color Collection (Available Now!)

Aug 14 20 under Art, Customs, General Release | Comments Off

DISCLOSURE: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning when you click the links and make a purchase, we receive a commission.

Words via Vans:

“Vans’ latest delivery of Classic footwear enables creativity and personalization by allowing you to customize and create your own pair of Vans. As a nod to the early days of Vans, the U-Color collection lets you creatively express your personal style and make your Vans your very own. The U-Color collection is available now at select Vans retail stores and online at Vans.com.

Drawing inspiration from the Vans fans who use their footwear as a creative canvas, the U-Color collection features an Era that has a blank checkerboard pattern atop each of the panels, a true white tongue, and laces and eyelets to make your own checkerboard design or new pattern. The sidewall of the Era showcases “fill in the blanks” for fans to make a statement and express their individuality. A second Era footwear style highlights a hand-drawn floral motif and leaves each of the flowers open to fill in and color. Whether you stay inside the lines or choose to go beyond, the U-Color collection enables creativity during an inspiring time of expression and personal style.”

The U-Color collection is available to shop in Vans retail location and online at Vans.com now.

SUPPORT UTP BY CLICKING THROUGH TO THE VANS STORE ON THE PIC ABOVE

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Strawberry Mansion & George Washington Win $50,000 Each In Vans Custom Culture High School Competition

May 29 20 under Art, Contests | Comments Off

Strawberry Mansion High School

Vans is delighted to announce Strawberry Mansion High School of Philadelphia, PA and George Washington High School of San Francisco, CA as winners of the eleventh annual Vans Custom Culture competition. Vans Custom Culture was launched to provide high school artists and students a platform to embrace and showcase their creative talents. This year, Vans’ continued its dedication to give back to the arts through its competition where students had a chance to win $50,000 to benefit their school’s art program. Students were asked to use Vans as their canvas and apply their creativity to Vans footwear. New this year, Vans offered an additional $50,000 and made digital submissions available for students who did not have access to a physical pair of shoes. In addition, the top four runner-up schools in each category highlighted below will now receive an artist mentorship program equaling one digital lesson from one of the following Vans’ art ambassadors Kelly Breez, Robin Eisenberg, Todd Francis, Penelope Gazin, Tony Whlgn or Jay Howell in fall 2020.

“Congratulations to both Strawberry Mansion & George Washington High School. The growth of Custom Culture within the past eleven years has far exceeded our expectations and allowed us to make a difference for more students than we could have imagined when we started this program,” said Carly Gomez, VP Marketing of Vans the Americas. “Enabling creativity remains our focus and we quickly pivoted the program so all participating schools could submit their designs even if they were stuck at home. Again, the submissions we received far exceeded our expectations and the participation from students showcased the creative spirit when it’s needed the most.”

Through both the physical and digital submissions it’s evident that the breadth of talent and creativity nationwide has been at an all-time high. This year’s contest has certainly presented some unique obstacles along the way but each high school could not be deterred in showcasing their own individuality and creativity.

Thank you to our partners Yoobi, Americans for the Arts and Journeys who joined us in drawing attention to the importance of art education across the country and provided art materials to all the participating schools.

Vans Custom Culture has grown tenfold since its inception in 2010 reaching hundreds of thousands of students and putting more than $1,000,000 USD back into high school art programs nationwide.

PHYSICAL SHOE – Grand Prize Winners:

Strawberry Mansion High School, Philadelphia PA

PHYSICAL SHOE – 2nd Place Prize Winners:

South Lafourche High School, Cut Off LA

Vallivue East High School, Caldwell ID

DIGITAL SHOE – Grand Prize Winners:

George Washington High School, San Francisco CA

DIGITAL SHOE – 2nd Place Prize Winners:

High School of Telecommunication Arts and Technology, Brooklyn NY

Clay High School, Oregon OH

For more information, please visit Vans Custom Culture.

George Washington High School

Rose Anvil Deconstructs And Compares the OG Sk8-Hi Reissue LX (Video)

May 28 20 under Art, Reviews, Vault, Videos | Comments Off

Here’s a cool video, created by Rose Anvil, giving a literal breakdown of how the Vault By Vans OG Sk8-Hi Reissue LX is made, and comparing it to a GR (General Release) pair of Sk8-Hi’s. The approach of the video, is to compare the quality, and to see if it’s worth the extra $20 retail to buy them. To us Vans snobs, it’s never as much about the quality, as it is about the exclusivity of the Vault line. It’s an “if you know, you know” mentality that we all share. Although I will say, we admit that the latest iteration of Vault OGs are definitely our favorite, and most accurate to the Made In USA vintage pairs. The construction is and materials chosen are the best we’ve seen yet. Anyways, check out the video, and watch them cut this beautiful OG Sk8-Hi in half, lol!

Vans Customs – “Foot The Bill” Initiative (500 pairs per collab)

Mar 27 20 under Art, Bands, Collaborations, Customs, Heritage, History | Comments Off

Message from Steve Van Doren:

Dear Vans Family,
We know how important small businesses are, we were one. You helped us become what we are, and we want to help our community and extended members of our Vans Family during this difficult time. We have partnered with local and community driven skate shops, restaurants, art galleries and music venues to support them with custom designed Vans footwear. Net proceeds* from the sale of each pair of Vans Customs will go directly to our small business partners in this time of need. With the purpose of continuing to enable creative expression, please join us as we lend a helping hand to our Vans Family.

Keep Going,

Steve Van Doren

Thoughts from us here at UTP:

This is what a real community looks like. We’ve been saying it for years, and it’s why we’ve worked hard to foster and protect our Vans culture. We don’t want it to be exploited, or turned out for the next culture vulture to profit and thrive off of. Under The Palms has been doing this Vans shit for a very long time, enough to see many come and go through our ranks, and it’s the ones who’ve stuck around and didn’t get caught up in all the weekly trends who get our continued support. On a larger scale, this is what Vans is doing for their skate shop partners who could use this opportunity right about now. It’s awesome, and it’s pretty damn cool. So far, the Foot The Bill webpage has 3 submissions: 510 Skateboards, 35th Ave/North, and Kingswell, but I assume more will come soon, so keep checking back. Each collab, has their own custom artwork that you can apply to the toe panel of the Classic Slip-On (currently the only style available), but you can fully customize the rest of the shoe per usual. This is where you get to make something cool, and completely unique, all while supporting your favorite collaborator. I created my own “510 Skateboarding” Slip-On, which I think came out pretty sick. Check it out on our Instagram. Don’t forget to share your own creations, and use the #FOOTTHEBILL and #VANSFOOTTHEBILL hashtags!

What is Vans “Foot The Bill”?

Vans “Foot The Bill” initiative aims to assist the creative communities of our extended Vans Family around the world during this difficult time. Using our Vans Customs platform, we invite you to express your creativity and be a designer to your favorite Vans shoe, all while supporting the skate shops, music venues, art galleries, restaurants and local hangouts that enable your creative self-expression every day.

How many total partners will you be supporting?

We are committed to supporting at least 80 local and community driven small businesses including skate shops, music venues, art galleries and restaurants. Though, this amount does not include all of the amazing partners that we work with around the world, we are hopeful this program will help our communities get through this unprecedented time.

How did you select your partners?

We worked closely with our team to identify community driven small businesses like skate shops, music venues, art galleries and restaurants that have been directly impacted by COVID-19.

What portion of the proceeds will be donated to each partner?

All proceeds less the cost of production and shipment will be paid to the local and community driven skate shops, restaurants, art galleries and music venues.

How many pairs are being sold per partner?

Vans will be producing up to 500 pairs of Custom Vans per partner, based on demand.

How long will these designs be available to shop?

These one-of-a-kind designs will be available until the limit has been reached. Once they are sold out they will no longer be available. So be sure to get creative while supplies last!

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see more of 510 Skateboard’s artwork after the jump!

Vault By Vans x Damien Hirst x Palms Casino – Capsule Collection (12.6.19)

Nov 26 19 under Art, Collaborations, Vault | Comments Off

Words via Hypebeast:

“Vans has partnered with Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and legendary British artist Damien Hirst for a series of silhouettes that bring his iconic style to its footwear. The release is the latest project from Hirst and Palms Casino Resort, which recently saw the artist design a Demon With Bowl sculpture in the pool complex and a number of his works added to 9,000-square-foot sky villa.

The pack features three different takes on the Classic Slip-On VLT LX and three versions of the Sk8-Hi Reissue VLT LX. The different designs all reference iconic Hirst artworks, with one set featuring a colorful all-over spot pattern, alongside a twist on the classic Vans checkerboard. Other designs reference Hirst’s butterfly work — showcased in his recent “Mandalas” exhibition — and the spin skull design.

Speaking about the capsule, Hirst explained, “I’ve always loved Vans and the artwork works brilliantly on these shoes. I can’t wait for people to see them. It’s amazing for an artist to have the sort of freedom Palms and Vans have given me.”

The Damien Hirst x Vault by Vans collection will release on December 6, exclusively via the Vault by Vans store in New York and the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.”

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Vans Checkerboard Day (11.21.19)

Nov 6 19 under Art, Collaborations, Events, Heritage, History, NEWS | Comments Off

Vans is excited to announce the inaugural Vans Checkerboard Day to be held on November 21, 2019. Vans Checkerboard Day is an annual event that will champion and inspire creative expression globally. Fans will have the opportunity to participate in creative activations, experience why creativity matters, and give back to organizations that support creative expression. With the goal of fueling creativity, Vans will donate $1 million of global sales made through the brand’s owned retail locations and Vans.com on November 21st to imagination.org. Vans fans will have the opportunity to participate in global Checkerboard Day activations, events and brand touchpoints to connect local communities through unique and personal experiences.

The mission of imagination.org is to find, foster and fund creative entrepreneurship in children around the world in order to raise a new generation of innovators and problem solvers who have the tools they need to build the world they imagine.

In celebration of the launch of annual Vans Checkerboard Day, Vans will be auctioning off checkerboard footwear and backpacks customized by Steve Van Doren, Christian Hosoi, Geoff McFetridge, Kim Jaekyung, Brighton Zeuner and other Vans Global Ambassadors.

WE HOPE THAT YOU CAN JOIN US ON OUR JOURNEY TO HELP CELEBRATE VANS’ FIRST-EVER CHECKERBOARD DAY ON NOVEMBER 21, 2019!

#VANSCHECKERBOARDDAY

Vans x MoMA – Patchwork Era (Available Now!)

Oct 1 19 under Art, Collaborations | Comments Off

Words via MoMA:

“MoMA Exclusive: Collectors’ items for your feet. The patchwork of color and materials on these special edition MoMA and Vans Era Sneakers celebrate the Museum’s reopening and feature both the MoMA and Vans logos—the MoMA logo is on the left sneaker, the Vans logo on the right. MoMA and Vans Era Sneakers are unisex and available in men’s sizes 3.5 through 13.

With their padded collar and different color combinations, the Vans Era was designed from Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta in 1976 and became the sneaker of choice for a generation of skateboarders. Patchwork, a motif that has been a part of Vans’ storied history, came about when customers could bring in their own materials to create a one-of-a-kind pair of footwear. Many different design variations were made, using materials and construction choices such as needlepoint, quilting and patchwork.

Due to factory changes in the 90s, custom materials submissions could no longer be accepted — but Vans began producing patchwork designs, which continue to be an important part of the brand’s heritage. These MoMA and Vans Era Sneakers continue the tradition of Vans Era and patchwork.

Why We Chose This

Sneakers as design objects were represented in MoMA’s 2017–2018 exhibition Items: Is Fashion Modern? which featured 111 items of clothing and accessories that have had a strong impact on the world in the 20th and 21st centuries. The exhibition illustrated the power fashion has to create and express relationships about culture, functionality and identity. Founded in Anaheim, California in 1966, Vans earliest customers were skateboarders and the brand later collaborated with skateboarding professionals like Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta. Vans continue to foster personal expression and creativity, and has joined MoMA to create this special edition celebrating the Museum’s newly expanded reopening in fall of 2019.”

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Vans BLACK RAINBOWS – Dogtown Event Recap (Friday 8.9.19)

Aug 12 19 under Art, Articles, Bands, Celebs, Events, Heritage, History, OTWS, UTP | 1 Comment

This past Friday, I had the pleasure of being invited to the opening of BLACK RAINBOWS, a 10-day immersive experience in Venice Beach, put on by Vans, that transports visitors back to 1976 to celebrate the energetic time period and place that Vans’ first skateboarding shoe, the Era, was born.

If you want to share my experience and over 50 pics from this amazing event, read on after the jump (sort of a long read!) Read More

Vans Presents: Black Rainbows – A Celebration Of The Era, The World’s First Skateboarding Shoe (Aug. 9-18) #VansBlackRainbows

Jul 17 19 under Art, Bands, Collaborations, Events, Heritage, History | Comments Off

Vans, the original action sports footwear and apparel brand, presents BLACK RAINBOWS, a 10-day immersive experience in Venice Beach, California that transports fans back to 1976 to celebrate the energetic time period and place that Vans’ first skateboarding shoe was born. “BLACK RAINBOWS” aren’t just marks left by wallrides from skateboards, they are symbols of the creative reinterpretation of the world around you. Beginning August 9^th– 18^th, Vans will continue to elevate the Classic Era and honor the ubiquitous silhouette as an icon of creative expression past and present.

In 1976, Tony Alva worked with the Vans family and created a shoe specifically designed for skateboarding. What they did next with that shoe set off a cultural explosion that sent shockwaves around the globe. Vans will commemorate the history and origins of the Era in the neighborhood between Santa Monica and Venice Beach known by Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta and the original Z-Boys simply as Dogtown. BLACK RAINBOWS is aimed at reinforcing our brand promise of enabling creative expression through action sports, art, music and street culture. Vans has partnered with Dogtown legend Jeff Ho, famed owner of the Zephyr Surf Shop and Jim Muir, original Z-Boy and skate Hall of Fame inductee, to bring forward an authentic depiction of the birth of a cultural icon; the Era. BLACK RAINBOWS’ interactive programming and highlights will include Vans skate demos, panel discussions with Vans Designers and skate legends, art and music workshops, film screenings and will culminate with live musical performances.

Mark your calendars – RSVP opens July 31! The Vans BLACK RAINBOWS experience at 6 Rose Avenue will be free and open to the public beginning August 9^th– 18^th. For more information visit www.v ans.com/blackrainbows . It’s not seeing what exists, it’s seeing what can be created.

#VansBlackRainbows

Vault By Vans x Frida Kahlo – Capsule Collection (6.29.19)

Jun 25 19 under Art, Collaborations, Vault | Comments Off

Vans has earned the status of being a cultural symbol for creative expression, catering to those who thrive on living “Off The Wall”. Celebrating art and the brand’s commitment to inspiring the nonconformists of the world, Vault by Vans introduces a truly unique footwear collection honoring iconic painter, Frida Kahlo. Known best for her self-portraits and works inspired by Mexico, the Vault by Vans x Frida Kahlo collection brings a meticulously curated sampling of the iconic artist’s paintings to life onto classic Vans classic silhouettes.

Heavily influenced by Mexican heritage, Frida Kahlo employed a naïve folk-art style to explore questions of identity, post colonialism, gender, class and race in Mexican society. Her life took her throughout the U.S., Europe and Mexico and at times proved to be painful, a fact that only added to her lore. Her constant remaking of her identity and her creation of a personal, alternative world resonates greatly with many.

Referencing works both immediately recognizable and lesser known, the collection includes three iconic Vans styles: an OG Sk8-Hi LX featuring Frida’s self-portrait alongside a dark green toe cap, an OG Authentic LX with all-over watermelon print and embroidered details and an OG Slip-On LX celebrating Kahlo’s famed 1940 painting, Self-Portrait with Thorn Necklace and Hummingbird. Each style features a vulcanized sole and crushed leather cushioned heel liner.

The Vault by Vans x Frida Kahlo collection will be available beginning June 29, 2019 at select Vault by Vans retailers. To learn more about the collection, please visit Vans.com/vault.

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