Check out this awesome video created by Sole Classics, featuring the entire process that Dan and Derick went through, to make all 86 pairs of the Carmen Authentic. Each pair was touched by their hands. If this doesn’t get you stoked for this release, then what are you even doing here, lol?!
Vans and Columbus, Ohio-based retailer Sole Classics reunite this summer to revisit their first-ever collaborative shoe, the “Carmen.” Originally released in May 2013, the Sole Classics “Carmen” was an Era LX from the California footwear label’s Vault by Vans division, with a unique design inspired by the story of Ohio high school football player Jack Henderson and his golden-brown cleats.
As the story goes, after a game-winning, 99 yard play in October 1963 — the longest run from scrimmage in Ohio high school football history — Jack Henderson ran right out of the stadium, and was never seen or heard from again. A month later, a pair of golden brown cleats was found on the bank of Lake Eerie in Cleveland, Ohio, nearly 250 miles away. Legend has it that these were Henderson’s and the color came from the mileage he put on them running north through the entire state. In 1996, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles redesigned their license plates with colors unofficially inspired by Henderson’s legacy.
In 2013, Sole Classics owner Dionte Johnson translated Henderson’s golden-cleat story and the design of the 1996 Ohio plates on a pair of Vault by Vans Era LX, featuring an ambitious, first-of-its-kind color fade treatment. However, two weeks before the sneakers were set to ship, Vans and Sole Classics received word that 86 out of a planned 200 pairs did not meet quality control standards. Due to the unique process used to create the golden fade, a faint purple thumbprint was left on nearly half of the shoes. Vans and Sole Classics agreed to release the other 114 pairs on schedule and they sold out in minutes. Fast forward to 2021, and the remaining 86 pairs of “Carmens” are getting their due.
To recreate his unique vision, Dionte Johnson commissioned two long-time Sole Classics employees, local designers Sunday Pizza and Dan Dover of Pretty Good Co., to fully hand-dye and finish 86 pairs of classic white Vans Authentics right in Columbus, Ohio. The two creatives combined their talents to bring the “Carmen” vision to life using a mix of hand-dying, custom leatherwork, and Plasti-Dip rubber coating. As with the original release, the golden fade represents Jack Henderson’s legendary journey, the hand-dyed navy laces mimic the 1996 Ohio license plate (and the navy football uniforms from the 1963 season), while the orange Vans tab references the Ohio plate sticker. The red sole completes the design, representing the Ohio state slogan; “The Heart of it All.”
Each pair of hand-crafted Sole Classics x Vans Authentic “Carmen” comes with a certificate of authenticity and will be released July 17, 2021 exclusively through Sole Classics and soleclassics.com.
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Vans continues to provide a canvas and platform for artists who have made their own lane and continue to push the boundaries of creativity as their vehicle of self-expression. This season Vans welcomes multi-disciplinary artists, Christopher Martin and Olivia Krause who have each defined their own path and use various artistic mediums to explore and capture imagery inspired by their roots as well as human emotion. The custom made Old Skools designed by Christopher Martin and Olivia Krause are now available on Vans.com/oldskool.
Born in North Carolina but now based in Oakland, CA, Christopher Martin plays with assorted mediums including textiles, tattooing, along with painting and illustration to create a body of work that is inspired by the journey to his roots. Using textiles as a primary medium, Martin reclaims cotton as a material that once enslaved his ancestors and combines past and contemporary images to form cut and sewn banners. Martin approached the canvas of the Old Skool as he would a tattoo, by considering the anatomy and making sure the design fit perfectly under the Sidestripe. Martin’s Old Skool design features a lady gazing at the moon – she is nostalgic of her journey while she lounges in a field of cotton plants; Using black and white colors throughout his work to reflect the bold and bare truth that represents the tensions of White and Blacks in America.
“When I think of the Old Skool, I reflect on the past and how it has brought me to where I am today,” says Martin. “I learned that one of the main resources used to create Vans shoes is cotton. I wanted to make the connection since cotton in American has been synonymous with pain and struggle within the Black community.”
Based out of Oakland, CA, Olivia Krause is a painter, textile artist and photographer. Krause enjoys working across various mediums to express their visions and creations to create vibrant imagery to help express the human experience and emotional space in abstract ways. Krause is inspired by love and the exploration of self and others. Kause’s inspiration came from watching the sunset over a drive from Los Angeles to Oakland that they took on a road trip with friends.
“I never wanted the sunset to end so I took a bunch of photos of it, some of them had a fence in them. I have loved that image and create that moment whenever I can,” said Krause. The Old Skools were designed to serve as a pop of color to capture the gradient with a hand-drawn fence graphic across the quarter panels. The vivid pattern is juxtaposed with bold color pops on the eyelets and binding and is finished cow printed uppers and a lightning bolt sidewall graphic.
Christopher Martin and Olivia Krause’s custom made Old Skool’s are available to shop now on Vans.com/oldskool.
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Info via Hypebeast:
“Vans has just unveiled a new collaboration with the Japanese streetwear label NEIGHBORHOOD. While this is not the first collab between the two names, this release is one of the more understated releases from the label.
Fans who appreciate dark and minimal Vans will love this colorway of Forest Green and black as it features colorblocked panels of suede and canvas, side “THE FILTH AND THE FURY” outsole text, and NEIGHBORHOOD branding on the heel. Arriving in both the Comfycush versions of the Sk8-Hi and Era, this updated form of the classic footwear models sees a new softer and cushiony outsole along with added arch support.”
There’s no word on pricing but NEIGHBORHOOD has the release date slated for July 10 at select retail stores.
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Vault by Vans is excited to announce a second release of their footwear collaboration with global lifestyle brand, Madhappy. The latest iteration of the OG Style 43 LX features the same hand-stitched details and playful Madhappy branding, a set of “friendship-bracelet” style beads to create custom laces, and an all-new navy colorway.
Following the release of their first style in June 2021, which sold out in minutes, the second release of the Vault by Vans x Madhappy shoe is part of Madhappy’s first-ever footwear collaboration. The classic Vans OG Style 43 LX is reworked in navy canvas with unique Madhappy design details, including contrast white cross-stitching along the toe and heel seams, a red Madhappy logo stitched on the tongue and a kelly green co-branded footbed. The shoes are finished with a red foxing stripe, baby blue outsole and a unique fold-down heel that transforms the Style 43 into a slide for maximum leisure.
The Vault by Vans x Madhappy OG Style 43 LX will be available July 13, 2021 at 9am PT / 12pm ET exclusively at Madhappy.com.
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VAULT BY VANS AND PATTA JOIN FORCES ONCE AGAIN TO RELEASE LATEST ‘MEAN EYED CATS’ COLLECTION
The Vault by Vans x Patta ‘Mean Eyed Cats’ pack originated as a token of appreciation to Patta’s connection with Beams in Japan. The first drop came in 2015 before a follow-up collection came out in 2017. This year, the Vault by Vans x Patta ‘Mean Eyed Cats’ collection includes a diverse range of colorways that has every person covered. Presented on timeless Vans silhouettes such as the Old Skool VLT LX and Sk8-Hi Reissue VLT LX, the footwear is executed in true Patta fashion with detailing on the taping and upper of the shoe. Bearing the Patta script logo on the upper means you can show everyone who you are running with all held together with custom Patta branded laces as well as a 3 piece series of graphic T-Shirts and a collaborative pair of socks.
Vans started off as a family-owned brand in 1966 and was supported by the local scene in California before becoming a global powerhouse within the lifestyle and skateboarding industries. This resonates with Patta’s identity within contemporary fashion, as their rise was based on supporting the local scenes in music, sports and art before they were recognized beyond their borders. Supporting each other on this collaboration brought out the Mean Eyed Cats and the collection is now available globally.
The Vault by Vans x Patta ‘Mean Eyed Cats’ pack will be available from vans.patta.nl, their mobile app as well as Patta London, Patta Milano, Patta Amsterdam from the 16th of July at 13:00 CEST and at select retailers worldwide July 23rd.
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Vans, the global leader in skateboarding for over 50 years, and London based skate brand Palace have teamed up for the first time on a footwear and apparel collection.
The collection – the brainchild of Palace’s newest employee, Jeremy – is centered around Vans’ iconic Skate Authentic, which has been given the Palace treatment with a repeat pattern of Jeremy himself, available in salmon, black and classic white. Jeremy is also featured on the Palace Vans Duck Out long sleeve which is available in the same color palette.
Palace and Vans have released an accompanying video featuring Palace pros Rory Milanes and Danny Brady and London comedy duo Jonah and Stan to celebrate the collaboration. The video gives viewers some stirring documentary insight into how the partnership came about, and a first-time, real-life look at Palace’s Employee of the Month, Every Month, Jeremy the Duck.
The Vans x Palace footwear and apparel collection will be available from Palace Shops in London, NYC, Los Angeles and Dover Street Market in London and Los Angeles from 11am BST / 12pm CEST-EU / 11am EDT / 8am PDT on July 2nd, 2021. Tokyo and WeChat China from 11am JST/CST on July 3rd, 2021.
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Vans – the undeniable leader in skateboarding for over 50 years – will be launching a global campaign ahead of skateboarding’s Olympic debut, highlighting the things that make skateboarding great.
Since the beginning, Vans has celebrated the creative culture of skateboarding and the individual self-expression it embodies through listening, empowering and showcasing local communities driving skate culture around the world. This summer’s campaign, “No Matter How Big Skateboarding Gets, Never Forget Where it Starts,” highlights what makes skateboarding so special…the streets, skateparks, backyard pools and communities that built skate from the very beginning.
For this campaign, Vans is partnering with award-winning international non-profit Skateistan, who empowers children through skateboarding and education in Afghanistan, Cambodia and South Africa and skateboarding’s biggest legend and Skateistan ambassador, Tony Hawk. The campaign will also feature Olympic skaters Lizzie Armanto (FIN) and Pedro Barros (BRA) who will have featured videos during the campaign.
In the spirit of celebrating the creativity in skateboarding, Vans ambassadors will also be building their own Vans Skate Classic Customs and Vans is encouraging fans to do the same. This summer $10 from every pair of Vans Skate Customs up to $200k, will go to Skateistan to benefit skate communities globally. Vans Fans can also donate at Vans.com/skateistan and Vans.com/customs.
Vans Vault and Tony Delfino come together to celebrate two of the most iconic Mexico City desserts in the first-ever collaboration between Vans and a Mexican streetwear brand.
The Epoch Sport VLT LX from the collaboration is dedicated to the “mosaico” jelly, while the Old Skool VLT LX nods to the classic “fresas con crema.” To round out the collaboration, The Sk8-Hi VLT LX celebrates Tony Delfino’s Mexico City downtown heritage.
The Vault by Vans x Tony Delfino collection is available NOW, exclusively at Stush in Mexico City.
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This spring, Supreme will release new versions of the Vans® Skate Grosso Mid and Skate Era. The Skate Grosso Mid features a premium suede and canvas upper with printed logo pattern, leather lining and vulcanized outsole. The Skate Era features a canvas upper with printed logo pattern, leather lining and vulcanized outsole.
Made exclusively for Supreme, the Skate Grosso Mid and Skate Era will be offered in three color ways.
Available on June 17th.
Available in Japan on June 19th.
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