So, I think I said it pretty well on my Instagram post early this morning as I laid in my bed trying to go to sleep, still high off one of my most memorable and favorite sneaker releases I’ve ever experienced.  I basically said “@properlbc put on one hell of a Vans release last night. This project will go down in my history books for Vans as one of the most creative and interactive shoe buying experiences I have ever had. It was as if I was walking into that Anaheim Factory showroom myself, and building my own one of one shoe, even though @jaycurry, the one who thought of this insane idea, had already created the color combinations for us. Even if I wasn’t able to get the exact color and style that I was hoping for, it was still super satisfying, knowing that the pair I picked out will not have another one like it. I felt like some of you older Vans collectors, who used to shop the Vans tent sales at the LA County Fair! We should’ve known…another game-changing Vans collab from Proper”, and that pretty much sums up how I felt afterwards.  I also wanted to share Jordan’s excerpt about this project, as well as Proper’s official message, as both tell the story much better than I’ve been able to, lol!

Jordan Curry (Mgr at Proper LBC and creative genius behind this legendary pack) – “Growing up in CA Vans have always been a staple in my life as well as my family’s life. My mom spent her youth in Orange, CA where Vans were more of a lifestyle than a footwear preference. When @thescrutineer and @properlbc approached me with a concept for our latest collaboration with @vansvault I unconscionably repeated yes. yes. yes. The idea was to reciprocate the old Vans factory sales of the 70s and 80s. Custom 1of1 shoes never seen before. Odd one-off’s that potentially wouldn’t see the light of day. But this time it wasn’t a few different colors on a few different models, rather hundreds and hundreds of shoes, each different in their own way. “Our presentation consisted of a simple color palette of heavy weight canvas and suede, and some shoes. Hundreds of shoes in fact, page after page of Eras, Slip-Ons, and Sk8-Hi’s in a never ending number of color combinations. Mono-tones, duo-tones, tri-tones, quad-tones the list went on and on. Symmetrical, asymmetrical, mis-matched and everything in between.” The process was madness. Transporting thousands of pieces of fabric between the office and my living room-shifting through materials day in and day out trying to handcraft the perfect pair, knowing it wouldn’t exist. All of it was worth it – just knowing a concept this expansive would never exist again in the Vans world. Fast forward 9 months later, the process is over and the final product is near perfect. I couldn’t be more at a loss for words and couldn’t be more thankful; Handmade Customs from me to you. One of ones all hand designed by me, as individual as it gets. This was insanely hard to keep a secret but i’m hyped this idea has come to fruition. Thank you @thescrutineer for always guiding me and thank you for allowing me to bring this vision to life. Thank you @properlbc for allowing me to bring this vision to life. Thanks to the vans development team for dealing with all of the craziness”.

Proper – “Someone once said that most great ideas start off as bad ones, so it was no surprise when our initial pitch to Vans to work on the new ComfyCush platform was met with some cautious trepidation. The concept was simple, to bring the excitement and discovery of the Vans warehouse sales we enjoyed as Southern California youths to a younger generation that would never have the opportunity to experience it.

Our presentation consisted of a simple color palette of heavy weight canvas and suede, and some shoes. Hundreds of shoes in fact, page after page of Eras, Slip-Ons, and Sk8-Hi’s in a never ending number of color combinations. Mono-tones, duo-tones, tri-tones, quad-tones the list went on and on. Symmetrical, asymmetrical, mis-matched and everything in between.

Only when the raw material began to arrive did the real work begin. Unhindered by design briefs, Proper’s very own Jordan Curry set forth on a process of organic creativity in canvas and suede. Day after day, week after week he immersed himself in the process emerging only to share his latest masterpiece. Steadfast in his dedication to avoid repetition each pair was a unique creation, a true manifestation of the original concept, from mild to wild and everything in between, no two pairs the same. Perfectly imperfect.

Executing any collaboration can be a challenge, much less hundreds of them in a single shot. Has it been done before, not like this, will it be done again, probably not if the Vans production team has their say in it. Part old, part new, completely unique. We hope you enjoy finding your favorite pair as much as we did making them”.

Once again, congrats to the collab of the year, and perhaps much longer than that.  This is truly a blessing, to be able to experience an event like no other, where it was all about the thrill of the hunt, hoping to find something in your size, style, and choice of color.  I know it’s tough to try and purchase these online, as you’re just going in on a wing and a prayer, hoping you get something dope.  Perhaps if and when Proper can get around to it, they’ll just list up all the individual pairs, by style and size of course, and that should help ease some of your worries about getting something you may not like.  There’s something for everybody!

tons of pics after the jump, including pics of our 1 of 1’s that we chose! Read More

Reposted from Sole Collector:

“With the Carr Fire wildfire tearing its way through the northern California counties of Shasta and Trinity, Vans has stepped up to offer some assistance to victims.

Yesterday at the brand’s Anderson, California outlet, a truck pulled up driven by Steve Van Doren, son of the brand’s co-founder. Inside was more than 2,500 pairs of shoes along with 2,000 T-shirts and hats, all of which were given away for free to those in attendance.

“I think people have to have heart and one thing Vans is, is a family company, and we have heart,” Van Doren told ABC affiliate KRCR. “We have stores in the area and the people around here are a part of our family. So when disasters happen we want to come out and show our appreciation to the community.”

The Carr Fire began on July 23 and has destroyed over 1,500 buildings and resulted in 8 fatalities.

See a clip of yesterday’s scene at the Anderson outlet courtesy of Van Doren’s Instagram below.”

 

Well our day began 1hour ago. The word did get out Vans is up here helping out the Nor Cal Fire victims @vans @vans_europe

A post shared by Steve Van Doren (@stevevandoren) on Aug 15, 2018 at 9:42am PDT

This summer, Vault by Vans collaborates with Brain Dead, a creative collective of artists, musicians and designers from all over the world, to create a nine-piece capsule collection inspired by the spirit of subculture. The collection presents unique iterations of Vans classic footwear, apparel and accessories in faded shades of pink, green and yellow with custom hieroglyphic designs.

Founded by Kyle Ng and Ed Davis, Brain Dead has quickly emerged into the coveted upper echelon of streetwear fashion, describing itself as “not one person, nor is it one idea; it sits in the space between people.” This mentality is prominent throughout the collection, emphasizing a disruptive aesthetic across Vans classics that feature symbolic post-punk references, underground comics and skateboarding subcultures.

The Vault by Vans x Brain Dead collection features three deluxe versions of Vans’ iconic footwear silhouettes including the Old Skool LX in green, Era LX in pink and Classic Slip-On LX in yellow. All footwear styles utilize bold colors and strong graphics, as well as Brain Dead’s kitschy often satirical pictograms in high contrast black, printed on the quarter panels, sidewalls and custom footbed. Bold subcultural micro-graphics drive the visual approach, speaking to inspiration from the post-punk world.

For the apparel component, Vault by Vans x Brain Dead introduce a short-sleeved woven button-down in two colorways, pink and green, tying back to the black graphic details on the footwear, as well as two cotton t-shirts featuring Brain Dead’s signature logo. Completing the collection, Vault by Vans x Brain Dead introduce a simple unstructured black cap and canvas tote bag.

The Vault by Vans x Brain Dead collection retails from $43 to $138 USD and launches globally on June 24, 2017 at select Vault accounts.

Check out this interview with Brain Dead’s Kyle Ng over on Hypebeast.

more pics after the jump Read More