Celebrations for Vans 50th Anniversary are all about to kick off. It begins with this collection of shoes we have just received. This is the first drop of reinvented Pro Classics. This initial drop of 5 Classic shoes have all been updated and have a lot more under the bonnet than the original designs which were released from 1966 through to 1982. They feature ULTRACUSH HD sockliners for increased comfort and have reinforced DURACAP underlays to make these iconic shoes last that bit longer…
The story behind the Authentic Pro ’66 is one of the stories intertwined with Vans legend. Even during the companies humble beginnings Paul Van Doren had progressive ideas. He approached surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku and asked to make him a custom pair of shoes out of the shirt he was wearing. He gave Paul the shirt off his back and the rest is history.
The Authentic Pro ’74 was chosen as another shoe with a legacy. It commemorates the Z-Boys and specifically the time the whole Zephyr team shook the foundations of what skateboarding was perceived to be at the 1974 Del Mar Classic competition.
The Authentic silhouette has remained a mainstay in every Vans season and certainly enjoyed a huge boost in popularity in the last few years. This shoe design evolved into the Era which is the next shoe on the timeline. The Era Pro ’76 celebrates the first ever “Off the Wall” shoe and remembers Stacy Peralta, Powell Peralta co-founder and original Z-boy. He was involved in the design process of this shoe alongside Tony Alva, tailoring it to their needs which included using a suede toe piece and padding the collar. This really was the birth of the skate shoe and it still stands up.
The Mid Skool ’79 continues the Z-Boys story and the Vans footwear evolution. These were made famous by Tony Alva and were another progressive, skateboarder designed shoe which paved the way for many more mid top shoes to surface in the years to come. Tony Alva’s relationship with Vans is life long and we are stoked he will be visiting us this Friday!
This is the Slip-On ’82. One of the most famous Vans shoes of all time is definitely the Slip-On and none more recognisable than the checkerboard pattern. These became part of the publics consciousness when Fast Times At Ridgemont High hit the cinemas. This film is the format for every college film to follow. Slacker hero Jeff Spicoli, played by Sean Penn has a relaxed approach to lifes necessities “All I need are some tasty waves, a cool buzz, and I’m fine”. His shoe of choice was the Checkerboard Slip-On and it was cemented as a classic that has appeared on our shelves as a strong piece of Vans collections ever since we opened in 1986. We are stoked to be a part of the 50th Anniversary and hope you can join us this Friday when we will be joined by the Vans Family! Shop for everything we have from Vans HERE