Vans
About Vans
Who isn’t familiar: the iconic checkerboard skate shoe from Vans. Started as a heritage of Californian skate culture and has grown into an established fashion item with fans all over the world. It was Paul van Doren who, together with his brother and two partners, founded the first Vans store, then 'Van Doren Rubber Company' in California. After years of working in the shoe world, Paul decided to start his own store. What was unique was that Paul made the shoes directly to sell to the public. The first shoes Vans sold were the Authentic Sneakers and they are still one of the brand's bestsellers today.
With the upcoming skate culture in California, Vans was 'at the right place at the right time'. Where others ignored skaters, Vans embraced this group. The brand gained popularity among skaters because of the waffled outsole that gave skaters more 'feeling' with the skateboard and better steering. Vans also sold the shoes individually because the shoe of the dominant leg wears out faster. Due to the close connection with the skating world, the slogan 'Of The Wall' was added to the brand name, a maneuver in which the skater goes completely off track.
Back to the checkerboard. This was created because customers partially colored the waffled sole, creating a checkered pattern. Vans decided to incorporate this into the uppers. The range also increased. After the Authentic came the Era, followed by the Old Skool, then the signature slip-ons and later on the Sk8-Hi, which offered extra protection to the ankles that have to endure a lot when skating. Step by step, the popularity expanded among non-skaters all over the world and special collaborations such as with designer Karl Lagerfeld followed. Meanwhile, everyone who liked an urban sporty style embraced the brand, from women, men to kids.