My Top 5 Vans of 2021

Jan 3 22 under Collaborations, OG, OTWS, Pro, Skate, UTP, Vans Family, Vault, VLT, Waffleheads | Comments Off

I haven’t done a top “X” list for a few, but since everyone’s got one this year, here’s my top 5 of 2021. With the exception of the jjjjounds, I’ve completed the sets for each of the packs featured, and that’s usually the indication that I really like that particular release. They’re all that good. In no particular order: Vault x Undefeated OG Old Skools; Vault x Bedwin & the Heartbreakers Pack; Vault x JSP Chukka 79 VLT LX’s; Vault x jjjjound OG Sk8-Mid LX’s; “31 Days of Vans” Skate Half Cab. All 🔥

Vault by Vans x CDG Girl – “Ribbon” OG Era LX (Available Now!)

Dec 10 21 under Collaborations, Vault | Comments Off

Here’s a little something that we stumbled across, that the ladies should be pretty excited about. Vault by Vans has gotten with CDG Girl, and created this OG Era LX, featuring an exaggerated laced-up ribbon, sitting on top of a primarily white canvas, with distinct half white and half pink colored side walls and toe-bumper. The color blocking makes for a unique silhouette that is sure to stand out.

These are available exclusively on the DSM site, in unisex sizing of Mens US 4-8 and retail for $125.

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Vans Skate x Premier – 20th Anniversary “Laced” Collection (12.4.21)

Dec 2 21 under Collaborations, Skate | Comments Off

A bastion of Michigan skateboarding since the turn of the century, Grand Rapids-based Premier is celebrating 20 years in business this holiday season, and Vans Skateboarding is aiding in the festivities. The two have come together for “Laced” takes on the Skate Grosso Mid and Skate Old Skool, both of which are equal parts elegant and tough.

Arriving in vibrant red and black, the Skate Grosso Mid offers attention-demanding accents, while the Skate Old Skool opts for a tonal black look split with a white Jazz stripe. Each pair is covered with a delicate lace coating — one that quickly frays and tears with wear to reveal a heavy-duty leather base.

This durable leather base is embellished with faux quilted micro-Premier branding, and further ornamentation is provided by embossed midsole hits and inner tongue badges. To finish off the look, both the Skate Grosso Mid and Skate Old Skool are completed by contrast stitching and a traditional gum waffle sole. Each pair is packaged in special co-branded boxes with bespoke tissue paper and comes packaged with a matching pair of lace knit socks.

The Vans Skateboarding x Premier Skate Grosso Mid and Skate Old Skool will be made available for purchase via thepremierstore.com on December 4, alongside a small capsule of Premier’s private label apparel. Please visit The Drop List, a calendar of Vans’ most exclusive product drops, for more information.

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Vault by Vans x Undefeated – “U-Man” OG Old Skool LX (12.4.21)

Nov 29 21 under Collaborations, OG, Vault | Comments Off

It’s been almost 15 years since Vans first joined forces with West Coast-born global streetwear brand and retailer UNDEFEATED in 2007, and to celebrate the occasion, they’re bringing back the all-over U-Man print used on their very first collaboration. Utilized across three different OG Old Skool LX colorways — “Bistro Green,” “Blue Iolite” and “Buckthorn Brown”.

The U-Man was designed by internationally renowned artist Geoff McFetridge around the time UNDEFEATED first opened its doors on La Brea in 2002. Geoff created the U-Man as a gift for his friends and UNDEFEATED co-founders Eddie Cruz and James Bond, taking cues from their non-traditional sense of humor and UNDEFEATED’s unique connection to sports. The U-Man became the ultimate mascot for UNDEFEATED and a staple piece of branding on the level of the company’s Five Strike logo.

Composed of supple pigskin suede and sturdy canvas, each Vault by Vans x UNDEFEATED OG Old Skool LX offers an all-over U-Man print on its quarter panels, collars, and tongues. UNDEFEATED’s famed Five Strike logo is mixed with a Vans wordmark on the tongue tag, and the laces are embellished with a branded deubre of their own. Contrasting Jazz Stripes and marshmallow midsoles with upper-matching foxing round off each look, and all three shoes come with a unique skating U-Man hangtag sticker. A collection of U-Man t-shirts will accompany the shoes as well.

UNDEFEATED x Vault by Vans OG Old Skool LX will release Saturday, December 4 at 7:00 AM PST via Undefeated.com and UNDEFEATED global chapter doors. Please visit The Drop List, a calendar of Vans’ most exclusive product drops, for more information.

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Vans x Supreme – “Tribal” Skate Half Cab 92 & Skate Old Skool (Fall/Winter 2021)

Nov 23 21 under Collaborations, Skate, Supreme | Comments Off

This Fall, Supreme will release new versions of the Vans® Half Cab and Old Skool. The Half Cab features a premium suede upper, padded tongue, leather lining and insole, vulcanized waffle outsole, custom heel label and printed graphic foxing tape. The Old Skool features a premium suede and canvas upper, leather lining and insole, vulcanized waffle outsole, custom heel label, debossed printed logo at heel and printed graphic foxing tape.

Made exclusively for Supreme, the Half Cab will be offered in four color ways and the Old Skool will be offered in three color ways.

Available Friday, November 26th.

Available in Japan November 27th

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Vault by Vans x END x MASTERMIND WORLD (11.27.21)

Nov 22 21 under Collaborations, Vault | Comments Off

This season, Vault by Vans partners with END. and MASTERMIND WORLD, to create a capsule that celebrates the importance of minute details and subcultural styling. The SoCal label’s Sk8-Hi Cap LX and Old Skool Cap LX are brought under the spotlight, transformed in a way that emphasizes intricate details and Masaaki Homma’s penchant for punk styling.

Since Masaaki Homma founded MASTERMIND in 1997, the label has been centered around a steadfast dedication to the minutiae of design. Fabrics, construction techniques and branding are all cast through the Japanese designer’s meticulous and often-complex lens – a process embodied by the 1,000 plus drafts required to finalize the brand’s iconic skull logo.

To mirror that considered approach to craft, the Old Skool Cap LX is reworked to give a cut-and-paste appearance, with just about everything tweaked. The uppers are constructed using premium suede, leather and canvas, detailed further with Vans’ iconic Checkerboard pattern on the lateral side. There’s exposed foam worked into the collars and Sidestripe, while a doubled-up tongue gives the appearance of two sneakers fused into one. MASTERMIND WORLD’s branding is featured throughout — from block letter font to those famous skulls — to adhere to the label’s punk-leaning aesthetic.

The same experimental approach is used on the Sk8-Hi Cap LX, with the uppers detailed with skull branding and zips to reflect Homma’s rebellious sensibility. The sole unit, meanwhile, is deconstructed, with its foxing tape split, layered and misaligned to adhere to the collection’s cut-and-paste inspiration.

The palette of the capsule is kept understated — as is typical of the Ura-Hara label — with each shoe coming in both black and white colorways. To accompany the reworked footwear, there’s a co-branded, black and white skate deck, with skulls printed on either side to drive home the capsule’s macabre aesthetic.

The Vault by Vans x END. x MASTERMIND WORLD collection will launch online via END on November 27. Enter the drawing for a chance to purchase via END. Drawing closes on November 26 at 4:01pm GMT. For more information and where to purchase, please visit The Drop list, a calendar of Vans’ most exclusive product drops.

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Vans x USPS – Collection (11.29.21)

Nov 22 21 under Collaborations, 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.

Vans Collaborates with USPS To Deliver a First of Its Kind Licensed Footwear and Apparel Collection

Inspired by the tireless dedication of USPS Employees

If there’s one thing the USPS is known for, it’s dedication. The organization’s legions of employees tirelessly trudge through sweltering heat, bone-numbing cold, and pouring rain to bring customers their mail and parcels. There’s an inherent sense of hardiness associated with USPS employees, which has made their blue uniforms (and the instantly recognizable USPS eagle logo) unexpected icons of workwear style. Now, Vans has licensed with the USPS to bring some of that iconic-yet-understated Postal flair onto footwear and apparel alike.

Shipping out as part of the collection are four Vans classics: the Sk8-Hi MTE-1, Sk8-Hi Reissue, the Authentic, and the Old Skool. Combining USPS dress blues with a dark ‘Blue Fog’ shade, the Sk8-Hi MTE-1 is ready for the elements with a vulcanized all-terrain outsole, a sherpa fleece-lined collar, heel pull tab, and reflective tongue badge. The Postal Service’s eagle is emblazoned loudly and proudly on the lateral half of each collar for a finishing touch of flair. The Sk8-Hi Reissue is a Priority Mail box in shoe form, thanks to an all-over Priority Mail print accented by red laces and a red text hit on its midsole (releasing exclusively at Foot Locker on January 20).

The collections Authentic is constructed of light blue denim, which pulls inspiration from the USPS uniform. It’s also decorated with custom branding from heel to toe and certified with a unique stamp graphic on its tongue.

Finally, the Old Skool is built from supple white tumbled leather, with signature USPS color on its Jazz Stripe and collar trim, a U.S. Mail logo directly below its midsole foxing, and a stamped tongue badge of its own. Each is packaged in a fully custom shoebox, made to match USPS Priority Mail and boxes, and lined with co-branded tissue paper.

Apparel offerings include the ‘Bulk Mail’ pullover hooded sweatshirt and pocket t-shirt plus the ‘Priority’ beanie, all presented in navy blue. The hoodie is built from a heavyweight 320gsm fleece and features a trio of graphic hits: an embroidered USPS truck on its chest, a printed graphic on its left sleeve, and a sizeable high-density print on its back. The pocket t-shirt sticks a small label directly on its pocket and prints a large Postal Service graphic on the back, and the beanie boasts an oversized patch on its front plus Vans embroidery on the rear.

The Vans x USPS collection will release via Vans.com, select Vans retailers, FootLocker.com, and Foot Locker stores in limited quantities starting November 29. Additionally, on January 20 Foot Locker will be launching the exclusive Sk8-Hi Reissue. Shoes range from $65 to $115 and apparel from $28 to $75.

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Vault by Vans x Ray Barbee x Leica Camera – Collection (11.19.21)

Nov 22 21 under Collaborations, Vault | Comments Off

Info via Hypebeast:

“Three iconic partners– Vans, photographer Ray Barbee and Leica– are teaming up to introduce a collaborative capsule and a limited-edition camera. Inspired by Barbee’s path as a skateboarder-turned-artist, Vault by Vans is applying the Vans pro athlete’s lens to its footwear and apparel. Titled the “Capturing the Journey” collection, the pieces communicate the core messages that drive Barbee’s creative practice and passion for his craft. To help cultivate this sense of creativity in others, the three partners are also created a limited-edition Leica D-Lux 7 Vans x Ray Barbee. The camera is covered in Vans’ iconic checkerboard pattern and plate of the camera includes Barbee’s signature.

Similar to Ernst Leitz, the influential photographer who founded Leica in 1869, Barbee is also an artist who approaches high-quality photography with an extremely personal touch. Barbee’s influence on the worlds of skateboarding and photography in the ’90s and 00’s is used as a reference for the collection’s color palette, which includes grungey, ’90s colors like brown, dark red and teal. The iconic minimalist Leica logo is captured on the Vans footwear as printed, raised red dots on the sole and as red top eyelets and lace aglets.

Sitting at the intersection of Vans’ signature skate style and Leica’s sophisticated photography aesthetic, keep an eye out for more creative releases from this collaboration that explore the perspective of Ray Barbee. The “Capturing the Journey” collection will be available online and at select Vault by Vans retailers starting on November 19.

For more information or to locate where to purchase, visit The Drop List, a calendar for the most exclusive drops from Vans.”

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Vans Surf x T&C Surf Designs – Collection (November 2021)

Nov 15 21 under Collaborations, Surf | Comments Off

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

Founded in 1971 by Craig Sugihara, the Town & Country Surf Shop was born from—and continues to be driven by—the needs of the surfer. As can be seen in their iconic yin and yang logo, T&C’s foundational ethos is rooted in balance. Whether Craig is shaping boards or looking after the surfing community in Hawaii, he makes sure T&C’s dedication to quality, pursuit of innovation, quality materials, and passion remains at the forefront of everything they do.

After all these years, T&C remains owned and operated by Craig, the original founder, whose grom-like stoke lands him regularly in the lineup or around the island enjoying the friendships that only a life dedicated to surfing can provide. In honor of T&C’s 50th anniversary, Vans worked closely with Craig to uplift T&C’s rich heritage, while still giving a progressive nod to the future of surf culture by offering new spins on classic color combinations, checkerboard accents, and the gradient fades that the brand has become famous for.

The collection consists of a Sk8-Hi 138 Decon SF, an UltraRange EXO, and a few apparel pieces, including two short-sleeve tees, a long-sleeve tee, a pullover hoodie, and a pair of dope 18″ boardshorts. The collection finishes off with a Mini Ward Cross Body Bag.

Everything is now available on the Vans website. Support us, by clicking through on the links above and HERE.

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Vans x Size? – Authentic 44 DX “Needlework” (11.12.21)

Nov 9 21 under Anaheim Factory, Collaborations, DX, Europe Exclusive | Comments Off

Vans and size? have been celebrating and documenting the intricate and inimitable work that goes into craft the brand’s unique Needlework patterns. Coming together once again to bring to life an Authentic Style #44 from the Vans Anaheim Factory range, no two pairs bear the same pattern layout, such is the individualistic nature of the Needlepoint technique used to create Needlework shoes.

The Vans Needlework Anaheim Factory Collection is a retro-infused capsule of shoes that celebrates custom-made styles and DIY creativity. What’s more, the shoes also nod to the Californian Anaheim Factory, using unique stylings, OG style numbers, plus an array of other throwback features. Now, the Vans Authentic Anaheim 44 DX gets a Needlework remodelling that honours handcrafted artwork, offering loud and creative styles for your Vans collection.

Pulled from the archives, this crisp shoe has woven canvas uppers acting as a canvas for a variety of patterns on the upper. Yin and yang-inspired patterns of embroidered onto the upper, opting for soft hues of cream, and bold tones of orange and black for contrast. A classic Vans label sits on the lateral sidewall, while skate-ready vulcanised soles underfoot are divided from the top by orange piping.

Also joining the collection is a rustic looking silhouette that arrives with woven canvas on the upper coated in a tan hue with embroidered floral designs that hark back to the ‘70s. A Vans label on the lateral sidewall adds a touch of heritage, while an earthy, speckled vulcanised sole unit contrasts beneath, completing the trainer’s skate-ready aesthetic.

The Vans Authentic Anaheim 44 DX ‘Needlework’ silhouettes land on their site on Friday 12th November. They are priced at £80 and arrive in men’s and women’s sizes.