Vans x Parks Project – Collection (5.14.21)

May 12 21 under Collaborations, General Release | Comments Off

Words via Vans:

“Vans, the original action sports footwear and apparel brand, and national park outfitter Parks Project release a limited-edition capsule collection inspired by the great outdoors. The collection includes staple Vans Classics silhouettes embossed with Parks Project’s mission statement to “Leave It Better Than You Found It” when exploring the national parks. In addition to the product collaboration, this collection will directly give back $250,000 to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA).

Parks Project and Vans come together thanks to a shared love of nature and appreciation of an active lifestyle. California served as the muse for this streetwear line of T-shirts, hoodies, hats, and of course shoes, with joyful tie-dye, sunny yellows and retro prints. The release includes the Parks Project Leave It Better Classic Vans Slip-On and Vans x Parks Project Leave It Better Sk8-Hi.

“As a native Californian, Vans epitomizes the West Coast lifestyle,” said Parks Project CEO and co-founder Keith Eshelman. “This opportunity to create a collection together was a dream of mine and I hope it inspires a new generation of outdoor adventurers to leave the outdoors better than they found it.”

Founded by Eshelman and Sevag Kazanci, Parks Project gives back to national parks with every item sold under the pillars of youth education, wildlife conservancy, habitat restoration and visitor programs. Parks Project has given back over $1.3 million to national parks through the sales of their apparel and home goods items, all inspired by the parks themselves.

The Vans x Parks Project collection is available May 14, 2021, at parksproject.us, vans.com, and key retailers such as Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters. For more information, visit vans.com.

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Rest In Peace Vans Co-Founder Paul Van Doren (1930-2021)

May 7 21 under Heritage, History, NEWS, Van Doren, Waffleheads | 3 Comments

This is pretty heavy news right here to wake up to this morning. Vans co-founder Paul Van Doren, has passed away after being on this earth for 90 years. This news comes just one week after the launch of his memoir, “Authentic“. We have him to thank, for this awesome brand that has given us an identity, and a true sense of community. Always reminding us to be authentic, and do things our own way, while remembering to make it about the people. We will never lose sight of that. Vans has created more opportunity for us, than anything else, and we ultimately have Paul Van Doren to thank for that. We’ll always honor you, and your name lives on through your family, and through the extended Wafflehead family. You will be missed, but never forgotten. Thank you, Paul.

Vault By Vans x JSP – Chukka 79 VLT LX “Roses Grown In Granite” (5.12.21)

May 6 21 under Collaborations, Vault, VLT | Comments Off

Vans is excited to announce the second instalment of a footwear collaboration with skater and entrepreneur Jimmy Gorecki of JSP (Jimmy Sweatpants). This newest iteration of the Chukka 79 VLT LX is delivered in knock out pink from the California footwear label’s Vault by Vans division.

Titled “Roses Grown in Granite,” Gorecki continues to stay true to both his focus on quality textiles and his love for Philadelphia skateboarding, with another premium take on his favorite Vans silhouette, the Chukka Boot. Butter soft suede uppers in Marshmallow and Pink play against a Crystal Blue translucent bumper and waffle sole, while a knock out Racing Pink checkerboard midsole sets things off with “JSP,” “215” and “LOVE” hits in a custom Philly hand style by Joe Lees. The tags are repeated on matching Vans Ultracush® insole, driving home Gorecki’s love for all the skaters who made the city blocks at 15th and JFK a place of legend.

The Vault by Vans x JSP “Roses Grown in Granite” Chukka 79 VLT LX is available May 12^th at 10am PST in sizes 3.5 to 13 exclusively at www.jimmysweatpants.com

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Vans x SpongeBob SquarePants – Collection (6.4.21)

May 6 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, the original action sports brand and global advocate for creative expression, is proud to announce two upcoming collaborations with Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants launching on June 4. The first collection is a range of Classic footwear, apparel and accessories fit for fans of all ages. The second is in partnership with New York fashion designer, Sandy Liang that features her own fashion interpretation of the animated series elements and characters.

Key pieces from the Vans x SpongeBob SquarePants collection include:

Old Skool checkerboard emblazoned quarter panel featuring SpongeBob and his loyal pet snail, Gary, hidden amongst the checks, and finished with a leather yellow Sidestripe and “Off The Wall” written in a font that is synonymous with the beloved animated series.
Imaginaaation short sleeve tee that pays homage to the season three episode that depicts SpongeBob and Patrick as they use their creativity to play with an empty box.
Airbrush Woven long sleeve tee highlighting the characters and cartoon elements of Bikini Bottom.
Best Buddies Hoodie with custom Vans “Off The Wall” graphic inspired by each character down the sleeve.
Jump Out Crew Tie Dye Tee depicts SpongeBob leaping for joy.
Patrick Star receives his very own mini backpack silhouette that is complimented by Vans iconic checkerboard pattern.

Also launching on June 4, Vans will partner with fashion designer, Sandy Liang, who has been a longtime fan of the celebrated animated series since her childhood. Sandy, who started her eponymous label of ready-to-wear clothing, jewelry and accessories inspired by her NYC upbringing, nostalgia, and humor, has partnered with Vans to deliver a capsule collection that reinterprets iconic elements from the television show that have been illustrated by Sandy to provide a fashion forward take on SpongeBob SquarePants.

The Vans x SpongeBob SquarePants collection by Sandy Liang includes:

The Vans x SpongeBob SquarePants collection by Sandy Liang includes two iterations of the popular sneaker, Sk8-Hi 38 DX. The first features a patchwork application on the quarter panel of the hi-top drawing inspiration from Vans’ checkerboard pattern. Sandy brings together her Chinese heritage and juxtaposes a classic plaid print with flower cloud and groovy patterns taken directly from the animated series. A second Sk8-Hi 38 DX pays homage to Sandy Cheeks, the multitalented scientist and adventure seeker. The hi-top uses premium leather uppers that showcase a dreamy blue-green gradient. The Sk8-Hi 38 DX is finished with delicate floral appliques that are reminiscent of the flower found atop Sandy Cheek’s diving suit.
The collection is complete with a three-piece apparel and accessories assortment that feature Sandy Cheeks, Squidward Tentacles, Patrick Star and SpongeBob SquarePants reinterpreted into Liang’s classic styles including a custom jellyfish shearling for SpongeBob and checkerboard pants for Patrick.

The Vans x SpongeBob SquarePants in-line collection for men’s, women’s and kids, and capsule collection designed by Sandy Liang will be available online and at Vans retail locations beginning June 4. To see the entire Vans x SpongeBob SquarePants collection and learn more information, visit Vans.com/spongebob.

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Vault By Vans – Authentic VLT LX & Classic Slip-On VLT LX “Pride Pack” (Available Now via @bows_and_arrows)

May 5 21 under Vault, VLT | Comments Off

Here’s a colorful offering from the Vans Vault VLT line, being called the “Pride” pack. Featuring a woven leather checkerboard pattern, in a rainbow of colors, as well as a contrasting black suede color. Available in both an Authentic VLT LX, and a Classic Slip-On VLT LX, both are being offered now via Bows & Arrows in Berkeley, as well as their webstore.

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Vans Skate x Breana Geering – Collection (Available Now!)

May 4 21 under Collaborations, Pro | Comments Off

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

Vans, the original action sports brand and icon of creative expression, has teamed up with Breana Geering, one of the most talented skateboarders coming out of Canada’s of-the-moment skate scene, on a head-to-toe pack led by the Skate Old Skool.

Hailing from British Columbia, Breana has emerged as an influential force in skateboarding, gaining recognition for her calm, collected style, serious ledge skills, and flip in and flip out manual tricks. Recently, Vans Skateboarding talked to Breana and those closest to her about how she came up in the Vancouver skate scene and what’s shaped her journey along the way. Building on the momentum of the past few years, Vans and Breana came together this season to create a forward approach to footwear and apparel, combining wearable colors with a nod to gender neutrality.

Breana approached the collection by leveraging the timeless appeal of Vans Classics combined with subtle touches that showcase her personality: “I wanted it to be special and personal. I really made it my own by adding in some of my own little doodles to the back of the shoe and the insole. I really wanted to make a nice, simple shoe that people would be stoked to wear, to skate or to the bar.”

A similar wearable approach and color palette carries over into Breana’s apparel collection, designed to ensure that she can skate and move while wearing each piece.

Vans Skate – Grosso Forever (4.28.21)

Apr 28 21 under Collaborations, Heritage, History, Pro, Videos | Comments Off

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

To pay tribute to skate legend, historian, gatekeeper, and beloved Vans family member Jeff Grosso, and to mark his birthday, Vans is proud to announce a new Love Letters To Skateboarding episode solely featuring Jeff, complimented by the Grosso Forever collection.

Vans’ special birthday episode of Love Letters to Skateboarding celebrates Jeff’s life, in his own words, and was compiled by long time co-creators, Buddy Nichols and Rick Charnoski of Six Stair Productions. The episode illustrates Jeff’s raw, authentic and often-opinionated take on skateboarding that was captured during a decade of filming the series.

Jeff’s genuine love for skateboarding shined through in everything he said and did, and his support for the community–especially the up-and-coming generations—came from a true belief that skateboarding belonged to the kids. Gaining notoriety in the 1980’s within the competitive scene, he quickly became one of the most recognizable faces in skateboarding with the onset of skate videos that highlighted his skill along with his sardonic wit and audaciousness. Jeff was known for entertaining the masses with his self-deprecating humor and antagonistic spirit. In the span of his influence on the sport, however, Jeff became the unofficial skate historian, helping to create ten years of Vans’ Love Letters to Skateboarding with his unique and raw commentary on the industry.

“It’s you, your skateboard, and the world. So go out and make it your own.”
– Jeff Grosso

Jeff wore Vans for 50 years, and the Grosso Forever collection features iconic designs that he sported during formative moments in his early career. Royalties from this collection will go directly to Jeff’s son, Oliver.

Click on any of the pics above or HERE to shop the collection and have your money go to a good cause.

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Vault By Vans – “Sweet Leaf” OG Authentic LX (4.20.21)

Apr 19 21 under Vault | Comments Off

Vans Vault is reaching into the archive of vintage Vans designs, this time with one of the more obscure prints that were introduced to most of us Vans collectors when Ludwig Van teamed up with Vault in 2011 to create a very limited run of Era 46 LX’s, wrapped in various vintage Vans canvas prints that they discovered while hunting down vintage goods. They created only 5 pairs in the original version of this marijuana leaf design, which was officially named the “Mary Jane” print, due to only finding a few small pieces of the fabric. Since then, we’ve always placed this particular shoe up on a pedestal, and one of our OG collectors, Thane Rice, received a pair directly from Mike Dytri, owner of Ludwig Van, which side-note and fun fact, Mike hand delivered to my house, for me to ship to Thane, just to make sure everything was legit. Talk about me being salty, lol! They were one, very very rare, and two, they were in my size 12! The only pair made in that size.

Anyways, the print is back, and better than ever! This time showing up on a trio of OG Authentic LX’s. Available in 3 color variants, Leaf Green, Skunk, and Blue Dream, and we all know which one is going to be the hardest to get. They’re unofficially (or maybe officially) releasing on April 20th, for obvious reasons, so keep an eye out from your local Vault dealer.

Vans history alert!!! Check out the pics and blog write-up I obviously had to do, before sending them off to their new owner HERE. If you want to see more about the Ludwig Van collection, including their release party at Conveyor in Santa Monica, click on those links from the blog posts we made back in 2011, 10 years ago to be exact. Geez.

Shout-out to Sole Classics for the pics I borrowed. It appears they’ve already put their pairs up for sale, and the Leaf Greens are Sold Out. Keep hunting!

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Vans Skate x Dime – Skate Mid Skool (4.24.21)

Apr 16 21 under Collaborations, Pro | Comments Off

Vans and Dime have teamed up once again to reimagine the Vans Skate Mid Skool. Featuring the Montreal-based brand’s signature yellow across three distinct colorways, the Skate Mid Skool comes to life with help from Dime’s ‘90s-skate-inspired style and nostalgic aesthetic.

An archival silhouette from Vans’ early years, the Skate Mid Skool leads the latest collection with Dime, featuring a mix of elevated suede and nylon, a translucent outsole and heel mustache, custom co-branded tongue label, and a debossed leather hangtag.

The Skate Mid Skool is offered in off-white, navy/white, and black/atlantic green, with Dime’s signature yellow running throughout the collection on the heel scab, sockliner, and the Vans x Dime custom shoebox.

Dime was born in 2005 out of a common thread between a group of skateboarders to exercise fun and creativity. Dime was established through its skateboarding video projects, becoming known for its humor and innovative concepts. In 2015, the Dime Glory Challenge presented by Vans elevated skateboarding events to a new standard with its uncompetitive style and broad, relatable appeal. Following the same ideologies, Dime opened its flagship store in Montréal and evolved its promotional merchandise into a clothing brand sold in finer skate retailers and fashion boutiques worldwide.

The Vans x Dime Skate Mid Skool is available April 24, 2021, at Dimemtl.com, and available April 27 at Vans Skateboarding retailers. For more information, visit Vans.com/Dime.

Instagram Live Interview with Clayton Boone @wearingwaffles

Apr 15 21 under Friends, Interviews, UTP, Videos, Waffleheads | Comments Off

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Fellow Wafflehead, Clayton Boone (@wearingwaffles) and I get together for an hour long chat about Vans, Vans, and more Vans. He just started doing these Instagram Live videos, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed each one he’s done. It’s grassroots and it’s simple, so don’t get turned off by the Zoom-esque audio and video quality! The content is still entertaining, I think? There’s no real format or style, other than just talking about Vans, and our love for them. We talked a little bit about how Under The Palms started. What a few of my favorite pairs are. Why I don’t care to show off my entire collection, and specifically my storage unit lol. I gossip a little. I name drop. I drop a little bit of a surprise at the end, in regards to this year’s 31 Days of Vans campaign. You don’t want to miss a second of this fun little interview we did. I’ll definitely be back to talk more with Clayton, and hopefully his following will have grown 10x in size! I’m stoked that he actually created something, that to be honest I’ve been trying to think of a way to do for a long time, but for one, I didn’t know where to start, but second, I just don’t like to be on the front side of the camera. I guess I need to work on that. Maybe we’ll start doing something like this one day. Maybe!