Vans x clothsurgeon x Offspring

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Lord knows I love Vans, in fact doesn’t everyone? I’m not sure I know too many people who don’t own a pair or who haven’t owned a pair in the past. My only problem with trends like those of the classic Vans silhouettes the Old Skool and Sk8-Hi is that they quickly become ubiquitous. That’s why I love a limited edition trainer or a collab: a little bit of exclusivity goes a long way.

Offspring, have teamed up with not just Vans but also clothsurgeon‘s designer Rav Matharu to render these classic shoes in a new light by using luxurious fabrics and subtle design features. The Sk8-Hi comes is supple suede, while the old skool is crafted from vegetable tanned leather.Mathru took inspiration from ‘Fast Times At Ridgemont High” an early 80’s auteur piece by Cameron Crowe starring Sean Penn. The film has become a cult classic largely due to Sean Penn’s iconic stoned surfer dude character. As legend has it Penn turned up on set wearing his own checkerboard Vans which he insisted on wearing in the film. So it’s a fertile source of inspiration for reimagining classic Vans styles. Check out some of the campaign shots featuring my personal favourite pair from the collab below. You can buy tomorrow from Offspring and Selfridges.


Photography by James North


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