The shoe game. A game where trends rise and fall faster than ever due to the internet. Something’s hot one day and colder than the North Pole the next. People flip their favorite brands every week. A certain type of shoe is cool. No, it’s whack. No, it’s cool again. It’s a tough market, and one with a lot of ups and downs.
However, every so often there’s the rare brand that remains relevant and cool through all the ups and downs. In the footwear industry you’ve got to carve out your niche, and you could argue that no brand has done that better than Vans.
Yes, Vans. The brand that started as a humble California company and became a juggernaut, found at nearly every major store, and celebrating their 50th anniversary. How’d they do it?
Well for starters, it never hurts when you have a bunch of timeless classic kicks in the vault. The Authentic. The Old Skool. The Sk8 Hi. The Half Cab. The Slip Ons (or Damn Daniels if you want to talk in 2016 language) They’ve got enough classics models to fill a museum exhibit.
And what’s even better is they do those classic models justice with tons of fire collaborations, all of which are well thought out and executed. They’ve collaborated with everyone from Tyler, The Creator’s GOLF label, to Wtaps, to Supreme. You name a dope brand, and there’s a good chance they’ve had a Vans collab.
Finally, they boast a versatility that few brands can achieve. You can dress them up. You can dress them down. You can thrash them almost beyond recognition or keep them pristine, and they’ll look dope either way. You can rock them any way you want, and you’ll always be doing them justice.
So pay your respects. Not many brands can stay dope for 50 years. Give them a salute, and go get yourself a new pair of Sk8 Hi’s (our personal favorites). You’ll be glad you did.
What’s your favorite Vans sneaker? Do you have any of their collaborative efforts? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter, check our Facebook page for daily updates, and, as always, be sure to follow us on Instagram for all the fire sneaker pictures you can handle.
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