On March 16, Vans brought together 50 years of “Off The Wall” heritage in action sports, art, music and street culture at House of Vans celebrations worldwide. From New York to London to Hong Kong, Vans united thousands of guests under a checkerboard flag to showcase Vans’ unique culture through multifaceted activations including interactive workshops, vintage memorabilia installations, and unforgettable musical performances.
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From the first pair of Vans in 1966, to countless pairs of Vans in 2016, Steve Van Doren, the Godfather of Vans, has been putting his staple on Vans footwear since he started working for his father’s company 50 years ago. His dedicated led to the production of the first-ever skateboarding shoe. Get a glimpse into the past and take a tour of what goes into making a pair of Vans shoe with Steve and Vans Skate Legend Christian Hosoi.
The Story of Vans showcases 50 years of milestones that have made Vans the unique brand it is today. Watch the animated story and follow the brand’s origins in action sports, art, music and fashion. Narrated by Vans Skateboarding Legend, Jeff Grosso.
Vans, the original action sports footwear and apparel brand, is pleased to announce the global launch of The Story of Vans on this historic day, Vans’ 50th anniversary. On March 16, 1966 Vans opened in Anaheim, Calif. as a small family-owned brand with big dreams. 50 years later, the Van Doren spirit lives on as one of the largest youth culture brands in the world, fostering a culture of creative expression through action sports, art, music and street culture. Vans commemorates its rich heritage with The Story of Vans series – a visual campaign that is truly the first of its kind – combining a mix of artistic methods to highlight iconic moments from the brand’s 50-year history.
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Here’s another article about Vans and their 50th Anniversary, this time from the Los Angeles Times. Check it out and read it from another interviewer’s perspective.
Article by Adam Tschorn of the LA Times
Steve Van Doren, himself
As we come up on Vans’ 50th Anniversary this Wednesday, Vans has been featured in a few articles around town, and Orange County’s own OC Register sat down with our friends over at Vans, to discuss the past, present, and future, and were also kind enough to get Laylan Connelly, the one who wrote the article, to reach out to me for our perspective on the brand, and how people like us represent Vans in the current sneaker collecting community. We had a nice phone conversation, and I’m sure I rambled on a little too much, as I normally do, but it was just nice to see that she even included my part, lol! Anyways, read the great article over on the OC Register.
Everybody’s favorite vintage Vans fanatic, @pillowheat
info via Laylan at the OC Register
pic via @obivanskenobi
Over the past week, we’ve been seeing quite a bit of Vans employees posting up pics of an awesome Authentic that was gifted to them by Vans. Designed by Steve Van Doren, the shoe features a natural white canvas, with a black all-over print of most of the iconic patterns that Vans used back in the day, when they were made here in Southern California. These logos have been reintroduced many times within the Vault line, and then later on in the Van Doren line, which was a nice tribute to all of the vintage Vans designs, and was an awesome way to reintroduce the mainstream public to the history of Vans. Some of our favorites can be seen throughout the shoe, like the palm leaf, vanosaur, pirate skull, and aloha parrot, to name a few. Check out a few pics on our Instagram page, and ask your local Vans employee to show you their pair, as I’m sure they’ll be wearing them tomorrow!
The first round of the 50th Anniversary Pro models are set to release this Wednesday, on the official 50th Anniversary of Vans. This series is going to pay homage to the iconic shoes that created a milestone along Vans’ long and illustrious life-span. For this first release, we get the “Duke Kahanamoku” Aloha print Authentic, in the same red/white pattern that sparked the idea of customized shoes in 1966. Next, is the 1974 Navy Authentic, a classic complete with the wide stitched heel strip, made popular by skate punks in Venice Beach, later on becoming known as the Z-Boys from Dogtown. In 1976, Vans saw the demand for a better skate shoe, so they created the Era, which was an update to the Authentic, with a padded ankle collar and eye-row, and suede material which stood up to more abuse. The Mid Skool 79 (not pictured) was Tony Alva’s signature shoe, which he still uses to this day in his pro collabs, and was a necessary tool in the pool, where he mastered the art of pool skating. Last, but not least, we get the “82” Slip-On Pro, complete with the OG black and white checkerboard print, made famous nation-wide by the now cult classic “Fast Times At Ridgemont High”. Each shoe is constructed in the Pro fashion, featuring Vans Ultracush HD removable footbeds, original waffle gum soles, and Signature 50th Anniversary artwork in gold on the footbeds. The distribution for these is a little spotty, with most pairs being limited to a size run per store, but more shops should be carrying them, than say, what Syndicate’s allocations were, including a few larger market Vans stores. Silo will be carrying these, and you know I always hook my family up when I can, so support them and try and pick up your pairs there!
more pics after the jump Read More
On March 16, 2016, Vans brings together 50 years of “Off The Wall” heritage in action sports, art, music and street culture for a worldwide celebration of creative expression at the House of Vans. Vans’ legacy will be brought to life in ten cities across the globe to celebrate its 50th anniversary alongside the extended Vans family that have made the brand what it is today. From New York to London to Hong Kong, Vans is thrilled to welcome a mix of eclectic performers including Nas, Dinosaur Jr., Wu-Tang Clan, The Kills, Erykah Badu, Jamie xx, Dizzee Rascal, Yeasayer, Shlohmo and more, within an immersive brand environment specially created for Vans’ anniversary year. Additionally, guests at every location will be welcomed to participate in a range of workshops for a hands-on experience that is truly Vans.
Read more about the event and see more pics after the jump Read More
Vans, the original action sports footwear and apparel brand, honors its 50th anniversary by reinterpreting the coveted checkerboard motif in the limited edition “Checkered Past” collection. Launching through Vans’ premium label, Vault by Vans, this deluxe 10-piece assortment expresses the iconic pattern as handwoven leather craftsmanship across footwear and accessories.
The checkerboard is a sacred emblem in Vans’ 50-year history, appearing on cherished footwear forms since the brand’s family-owned years as the Van Doren Rubber Company to its modern-day status as a global icon in action sports, music, fashion and art. The “Checkered Past” collection pays tribute to this design heritage with a series of Original Classic styles and Leather Checker Bags. Traditionally seen as a print, luxurious leather materials refine the checkerboard pattern as an intricate woven arrangement across Vans’ storied silhouettes. In the line-up of Original Classics, the OG Classic Slip-On LX and OG Sk8-Hi LX can be seen in black, white, blue and multicolored checkered executions. The Leather Checker Bag completes the collection with two colorways that tie back to the footwear capsule.
To truly commemorate the brand’s anniversary, Vault by Vans releases the “Checkered Past” collection on March 16, Vans’ 50th birthday, at select boutique accounts around the globe. Stay up to date on Vans’ 50th anniversary at www.vans.com and see more from Vault by Vans at www.vans.com/vault.
tons of pics after the jump Read More
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!
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