Vans x Nintendo – Capsule Collection (Coming Soon!)

May 5 16 under Collaborations, General Release | Comments Off

This is an interesting collaboration! Vans is teaming up with Nintendo, to release this fun collection of sneakers, paying homage to some of our favorite video game titles some of us grew up with. Some of the styles are designed more towards the original NES games, complete with 8-bit graphics, featuring characters from Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda, and Duck Hunt, while other designs feature more recent 64-bit graphics like Yoshi, and Donkey Kong. There’s also a Sk8-Hi that features an all-over print of OG NES controllers. The coolest part of this collection will be the custom boxes (not pictured), that look like original NES consoles. As more info becomes available, we’ll share it with you.

info via Highsnobiety

Vans Pays Homage to Iconic Motif with Spring Checkerboard Collection (2016)

Apr 7 16 under General Release, Heritage, History | Comments Off

With a nod to the past and eyes on the future, Vans celebrates its rich history with a range of footwear and accessories featuring Vans’ iconic Checkerboard motif. Originally inspired by the creative spirit of Southern California’s youth culture and Vans grassroots design contests, Checkerboard is synonymous with Vans’ irreverent and unique style. “Vans are a natural canvas and in the late ‘70s we started seeing Vans fans sketch all over their shoes,” recalls Vans Vice President of Events and son of the founder, Steve Van Doren. “Before we knew it, checkerboard was everywhere so we wanted to introduce our own version and make sure it was ‘Off The Wall’”

Decades later, Vans continues to release updates to the timeless pattern on a range of Vans products. From the new women’s Dazie-Hi, the Camper Hat and Checkerboard Backpack to legendary Vans silhouettes like the Sk8-Hi, Old Skool and Classic Slip-On, retro vibes take center stage on these styles staples conveying the perfect canvas for creativity. The extensive footwear offering highlights elementary tones reminiscent of the brand’s Southern California roots with colors like Spruce Yellow, Rhubarb Burgundy, Citadel Blue and Espresso Brown—painting a vibrant image of the Checkerboard history.

Vans Checkerboard gained international attention and appeal when actor Sean Penn donned a fresh pair of black and white Checkerboard Slip-Ons as the eccentric Jeff Spicoli in the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. A true “Off The Wall” moment, it comes as no surprise that Checkerboard would remain a mainstay in Vans’ seasonal collections for years to come.

Vans – 50th Anniversary “Gold Pack” (Available Now!)

Mar 28 16 under General Release, Heritage, History | Comments Off

In a continued celebration of its 50-year anniversary, Vans releases the Gold pack to further commemorate the momentous milestone of “Off The Wall” heritage. With an aesthetic inspired by its golden year, Vans presents a collection of footwear and apparel that features gold embellishments and archived prints to honor its design legacy. This robust 22-piece assortment includes iconic Vans silhouettes such as the Authentic, Classic Slip-On, Era 59, Old Skool and Sk8-Hi Reissue alongside a deluxe range of hoodies, hats, bags and tees.

The Vans 50th Anniversary Gold pack channels the brand’s heritage by highlighting significant design emblems such as the checkerboard, the Sidestripe and Duke Kahanamoku’s vintage aloha pattern in an elevated aesthetic. In the footwear offering, the checkerboard can be seen as a unique perforated pattern atop a golden Authentic and a multi-toned execution of the Classic Slip-On, while Vans’ coveted Sidestripe marks the panels of the Old Skool and Sk8-Hi Reissue. Inspired by legendary surfer Duke Kahanamoku, the floral motif is brought back from the archives as a premium foil print across an additional colorway of the Authentic and a dual delivery of Sk8-Hi Reissues. The Era 59 finishes the sneaker capsule with a hit of gold on its heel mustache.

Within the apparel and accessories selection, the golden theme is applied across three pocket tees in the men’s line-up alongside the 50th Zip Front Fleece, two 50th 6-Panel Snapbacks and the Old Skool 50th Backpack. The women’s variety brings follows up with a similar set including pocket tank tops, a slim tee, the 50th Hoodie, two Beach Girl Trucker Hats and the Realm Backpack. Traces of gold accentuate the patterned pocket compartments, zip hardware, logos and woven labels within each ensemble.

tons of pics after the jump Read More

Damn Daniel And Josh Appear on Ellen! (Video)

Feb 24 16 under General Release, Heritage, History, Interviews, NEWS, Videos | Comments Off

It looks like Ellen has caught wind of the “Damn Daniel” viral video, and had Daniel and Josh come on to her show to talk about it. The high school kids are from Riverside, CA, so that probably made it a little bit easier to get them on, but the coolest part is that Ellen, known for her awesome gifts for her guests, gave Josh, the friend who took the snapchat videos of Daniel, and who’s voice deserves most of the credit for the viral clip, a brand new surfboard. Daniel got the coolest gift of all though. A lifetime supply of Vans shoes, thanks to Vans. What perfect timing for the 50th anniversary of Vans!

Vans Surf x Yusuke Hanai – Capsule Collection (Spring 2016)

Feb 15 16 under Collaborations, General Release, Surf | Comments Off

Vans, the original action sports footwear and apparel brand and Japanese artist, Yusuke Hanai, team up for the first time to introduce the Vans x Yusuke Hanai capsule for spring 2016. Inspired by modern mid-century details and illustrations paying homage to surf culture Yusuke takes it to the next level with intricate artwork, while adding a youthful Vans twist to Vans Surf footwear silhouettes and apparel pieces.

The collection’s leading motif is a collage of surf-inspired illustrations including seagulls, fish, flowers, cacti and a sad surfer. The collection evokes a warm outdoor beach feel with an array of colors that include Antique White, Sterling Blue and Eggplant Burgundy. The Yusuke print can be found across the Vans Rata Vulc SF, the Authentic SF, the Slip-On SF and the Hanelei sandal. Yusuke’s designs are also featured across a diverse selection of Vans apparel including the Yusuke Hanai Boardshort, Tank and Reversible Bucket Hat that’s perfect for spring.

At the age of 25, Hanai left Japan for San Francisco to pursue an education in art. Hanai developed his own style after being inspired by artists within the counter-culture movement of the ‘60s. Known for his Japanese-infused, retro-styled illustrations, Vans is proud to collaborate with Hanai on a capsule that celebrates creative expression, surf and art.

Offering classic style and modern comfort, the Vans x Yusuke Hanai collection is now available on the Vans webstore.

more pics after the jump

Erwin’s Current Vans Room

Feb 15 16 under California, China, Collaborations, Friends, General Release, Heritage, History, Japan Only, OTWS, Pro, Supreme, Syndicate, UK Exclusive, UTP, Van Doren, Vault, Vintage, WDYWT | Comments Off

Erwin is the originator of the Vans sneaker room. When he first joined our forum and shared photos of what he had safely locked inside of his house, we were stunned. It’s something that takes a long time to build, and many more have replicated what he has done, and in their own tasteful way, but I just had to pay homage to our friend. Erwin has been thinning the herd, selling off some less favored pairs, but he plans to keep most of the gems. As you can tell, he has a thing for the Sk8-Hi. When we were all buying Chukkas and Half Cabs, Erwin was picking up all of the rarest and coolest Sk8-Hi’s. What blows my mind is that he managed to do this all while residing in the Netherlands. That’s some serious dedication! Thanks for being a part of our core community, and helping educate the new Vans collectors. Salute!

Check out a few prior pics of what the room looked like after the jump

Vans Approaches 50th Anniversary with 50 Colorways of the Sk8-Hi

Feb 1 16 under General Release, Heritage, History | Comments Off

Vans, the original action sports footwear and apparel brand continues its celebration of 50 extraordinary years presenting the Sk8-Hi in a collection that spans 50 colorways for spring. The Sk8-Hi was first introduced as Vans “Style 38” in 1977 and was the first high-top silhouette offered by Vans. The multi-panel construction provided endless customization possibilities allowing the Sk8-Hi to be worn and styled by artists, athletes and creative expressers alike.

The Sk8-Hi serves as a canvas for new color offerings, vibrant prints and premium material upgrades, while its timeless form provides a framework for design enhancements including deconstructed uppers, zip back detailing and slim sole construction. Each new enhancement stands alongside the original Sk8-Hi colorways that were first introduced almost 40 years ago.

The 50 renditions of the Sk8-Hi are offered for men and women in makeups that showcase the design versatility of the classic footwear model. The men’s assortment highlights the Sk8-Hi in Zip and Reissue forms in a range of premium leather options including snakeskin embossed leather. The multifaceted composition of the quarter panel boasts embroidered bandana details, digitally printed floral and woven textile inserts all marked with Vans’ coveted Sidestripe.

The women’s collection features fresh colorways of all canvas basics as well as new playful prints that include an all-over banana pattern, tropical motifs and a specialty print from New York artist, Baron Von Fancy. Leather in blush tone nude, patent leopard, metallic and laser cut stars present fashion forward takes of the Sk8-Hi. Newly introduced, the Sk8-Hi Slim Cutout is designed with a see through mesh liner on the quarter panel bringing forth a whole new styling opportunity of a Vans classic.

Celebrate with Vans and brand ambassadors including Steve Caballero, Henry Rollins, Natalie Westling, Syd Tha Kyd, Jay Howell, Wade Goodall and Lizzie Armanto, as we honor 50 years of classic design with the Sk8-Hi, a style that remains a constant source of inspiration and a catalyst for personal style and self-expression. Shop the Vans Sk8-Hi collection at Vans stores and online at vans.com/sk8hi.

All 50 Sk8-Hi’s for 2016 can be seen after the jump

Vans – Slide-On (Available Now)

Jan 19 16 under General Release | Comments Off

Check out these dope Vans slides that just released. The shape is the same as your familiar Adidas Adilette, or every other similarly constructed slide out there, and for good reason. The fit and comfort is unmatched. Vans adds their own style to it, with a black and white checkerboard leather strap, or a simple Vans classic logo in white, on top of a black, red, or navy leather strap, sitting on top of a color-matched ultra-durable, lightweight PU outsole. Each pair is gonna run you $30, so decide which ones are best for you.

more colors after the jump

Vans Joins Iconic Personalities to Honor the Legacy of the Sk8-Hi

Jan 19 16 under Collaborations, General Release, Heritage, History | Comments Off

2016 marks the 50^th anniversary of the original action sports footwear and apparel brand. In honor of this fete, Vans commemorates the Sk8-Hi, the iconic style that carries the progressive and storied history of the Vans brand down to its sole. The Sk8-Hi is admired by many for its simplicity and its ability to be worn across a range of cultural influences. To showcase the Sk8-Hi’s depth, Vans partners with a roster of icons to tell the story of the Sk8-Hi and its impact on expression.

Marked with Vans’ coveted Sidestripe, the Sk8-Hi was first seen on the streets in 1978. Its introduction marked a milestone in footwear as the first high top designed by skaters for skateboarding. With its core deeply rooted in action sports, the Sk8-Hi has since been embraced by communities within music, fashion and art, and has grown to represent the creative cultures and personalities of the past, present and future.

Vans brings together skateboarding legend, Steve Caballero, Grammy nominated artist Syd Tha Kyd, Vans skate team rider Lizzie Armanto, punk rock icon Henry Rollins, celebrated artist and animator Jay Howell, international model Natalie Westling and professional surfer and Vans team rider Wade Goodall to help tell the unmatched history of the Sk8-Hi. Vans artfully captures intimate moments with each ambassador and their deep connections to the Sk8-Hi while showing the time-tested function and personal style capabilities the silhouette represents. Together these iconic personalities embody the rich heritage of the Sk8-Hi silhouette and the evolution of the Vans brand.

Read more about each individual after the jump Read More