Vans first launched in the year 1966 in Anaheim, CA as The Van Doren Rubber Company. As an executive at one of America’s largest shoe manufacturers, Paul Van Doren noticed that shoe manufacturers were making pennies per shoe sold, while retailers took home the bulk. It took a year to set up the first factory. The men used old machinery to build the factory from scratch. Because of Doren’s frugal mentality, early Vans were made as strong as a Sherman Tank. The soles were twice as thick as other shoes and the canvas was made from Duck Canvas #10, the strongest one could buy. The goal was to make a shoe so strong that people would show it off to their friends.
For years Doren refused to spend money on advertising. However, after a few years in business, he paid professional skateboarder Stacy Peralta $300 to wear Vans during contests. Skateboarders those just like Van’s rugged makeup in addition to sticky sole seem to be spotted sporting Vans throughout Southern California back in the early 1970s. In 1975, the Vans now known to be Era was designed by Stacy Peralta & Tony Alva. With the use of a padded collar and basically different color mixtures, the Era turns out to be the shoe of options for a bunch of skateboarders.
From that day onward, there are already so many exciting collaborations that have been done by Vans. They also are favored by so many people that love Vans to be in their sneaker’s collection. These are the 5 best Vans collaborations.
1) The Vans x The Beatles Yellow Submarine
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The Vans x The Beatles capsule collection collaboration was inspired by The Beatles album and movie. The skater shoe collaboration is magically colorful just like the Yellow Submarine album cover. The Vans shoes are covered in album art illustrations and the images often associated with The Yellow Submarine days. The film which accompanies the song is infused with underlying trippy drug imagery and a fantasy adventure journey conjured up by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The Vans tribute collection brings attention to the amazing animations and art forms that have been a part of the album art for decades.
2) The Disney x Vans ‘Young at Heart’ Collection Features Mickey Mouse
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Another collaborative collection between the two iconic brands, a recently announced Disney x Vans ‘Young at Heart’ range of products will hit stores in June 2015. The playful range has a big of a nostalgic feel to it due to the heavy reliance on the original Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, and Winnie the Pooh characters on some of Vans’ most famous pieces. Each of the classic Disney characters is given a mesmerizing patterned print. The fun new capsule collection features bucket hats, socks, backpacks, and a selection of sneakers from the Vans Classics range, including the Classic Slip-On, Era, Authentic, and Sk8-Hi. The Disney x Vans Summer 2015 line also includes flat caps and mesh hats.
3) The Vans x Andrea Crews Collection
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Andrea Crews and Vans are joining forces to create an exclusive collection for Spring/Summer 2014 called ‘Vans x Andrea Crews.’ The collection will boast three unique prints that resemble vibrant watermarks. The three shoes adhere to the classic Vans Slip-On aesthetic, but fuse Andrea Crew’s outlandish and playful approach to fashion and patterns. Their color scheme consists of blues and purples with lime-green interiors. They act as the perfect shoes to get you through the summer months and fit in with the California streetwear styles.
4) Supreme Vans x Bruce Lee Collaboration
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The Supreme Vans Sk8-Hi and Authentic ‘Bruce Lee’ Collection is a go-to series for Bruce Lee and streetwear fans. This collection pays homage to the legendary martial artist, actor, and filmmaker. The Supreme Vans ‘Bruce Lee’ is available in two models. The first model, the Sk8-Hi features a large Bruce Lee graphic on the canvas upper of the sneaker. The other areas of the upper and tongue are black canvas. The sneaker still features a classic white Vans logo and white midsole. The Authentic models are features in both yellow and blue colorways with silhouettes of Bruce Lee spread across the entire canvas.
5) The VANS x Della Shoes
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Skater shoe retailer VANS partnered up with female retailer Della to create West African-inspired skater shoes. The sneakers come with a rustic batik tie-dye print and every sale of the shoe profits women working in West Africa. Della is a female-oriented retail brand that sells fashionable products while donating a portion of the proceeds to women in Africa to help improve their lifestyles. The online retailer recently teamed up with skate brand VANS to create a line of sneakers with a stylish Batik print. The shoes feature many of VANS classic silhouettes like the VANS Canvas Authentic covered in technicolor tie-dye materials with fun patterns and stencils.
Sources: Trend Hunter
