First off, please do not call these “The Virgils”. Despite what you may have heard, our resources, from inside Vans might I remind you, deny that these were designed by Virgil Abloh back in 2013. Sure, the inside-out overly deconstructed aesthetic has you instantly associating these with Louis Vuitton’s current artistic director’s designs, but this isn’t the first time we’ve seen this done to Vans. Granted, most of the designs hail from Japan-exclusive collabs, that sometimes release a few pairs in their U.S. flagships. If you don’t know which collabs or brands we’re talking about, then it’s probably best to leave it that way…you know…for the culture vultures out there who say they’ve been down. Styles and trends come and go, so perhaps the designers at Vans who worked on this set, were just inspired by what’s current and cool. I’d hate to assume that they were just going for the money grab, which I could definitely understand, being that streetwear has a heavy influence on fashion these days and ultimately, sales, but in the end haters will say it’s biting Off-White anyways, so you can’t win either way. I’m just glad that there’s something hyped to report on, as it’s been a little bland lately. Sorry for all of the copy and paste content that I do, as a result of not being inspired to write about it.
Anyways, the pack consists of three designs, a Sk8-Hi, Slip-On, and an Authentic, each given unique new SKU names, like Slip-On Cap LX, and Sk8-Hi Cap LX. Colorways were kept classic for the most part. Black, Natural White, Navy, and a cool Pink pair. Vans chopped up the foxing, and reglued it, similar to an unauthorized shoe that is very similar to Vans, exclusive to China! The shoes also feature a reflective, inside vs. outside look, similar to another Japanese brand Vans collab we see every once in awhile. All in all, the shoes will get you some looks. Good or bad, does it really matter? You wanted them to look, right? My personal opinion, is that the Slip-On will have more lasting power in terms of wearability. It’s funky, but not too funky. Look for these to drop at your local Vault dealer soon!
more pics from Hypebeast after the jump
