Vans and its history

In 1966 Paul Van Doren, James Van Doren, Gordon C Lee and Serge D'Elia started the shop The Van Doren Rubber Company. Vans was born. The logo was designed in 1970 by Mark Van Doren, a brother of Paul and James. Mark was 13 when he designed the logo. Since then, Vans has grown to become perhaps the largest skate brand on the market today. The switch to a skate brand was set around '98 in and around the skate scene of California at the time. Vans opened its own skatepark and opened several other skateparks in New Jersey, Virginia, Texas and Colorado. Vans has also paid a lot of attention to sponsoring skate / surf / snowboard events. That is how Vans - skate started to grow and become an iconic, global skate brand.

Old Skool’s 

One of the best known Vans items is of course the Vans Old Skool. In 1977 Vans produced for the first time Old Skools with the now well-known Vans Side-Stripe. The Old Skool is the first skate shoe from Vans that had leather inside the shoe for better durability while skating. The Vans line started out as a random design by Paul van Doren, but now a days it is must when it comes to Vans. The Vans shoes have become very popular: several celebrities like Robert Pattinson, Justin Bieber and Kristen steward wear the Old Skool sneaker. The different colors and styles of the shoe offer a choice for everyone. Moreover, the sneakers are both formal and informal to wear. 

Sk8-Hi

The Sk8-Hi was introduced in 1978 as ‘Style 38’, an innovative silhouette equipped with the well-known Vans ‘jazz stripe’. This shoe took functionality to a new level. The shoes give protection up to above the ankle, ideal for skaters who are working on their skills in the skatepark the entire day.
Aside from the functionality, the Sk8-Hi brought to the park, it also introduced a brand new style. A classic shoe was born and still holds up in this day and age. The Sk8-Hi is one of the prominent ambassadors of the brand. In recent years, the Sk8-Hi was featured in many collabs with names such as Supreme, Pendleton, Stüssy, and Marc Jacobs. The Sk8-Hi has continuously developed and is now available in various materials such as leather, suede, and canvas, but they also come with unique details and prints. Despite all the developments in the last decades, the Sk8-Hi will always stay recognizable and never lose its charm. 

The three coolest Vans products

We already mentioned one of the coolest Vans sneakers above. Still we made a list of the three best Vans items out there.

1. Although we have already highlighted the Vans Old Skool above, the Vans Old Skool sneaker can not be missed in this list. 
2. The Vans Authentic Sneakers are also true classics by Vans. A not to be missed shoe that every shoe collection can use.
3. Vans sk8-hi. Only Vans classics in our shop.

3 advantages of Vans

1. Matching – Vans are easy to match with every outfit. Whether you’re a fan of Old Skool, Sk8-Hi, or other models, the shoes will fit your outfit and are very versatile. Vans can be worn under your skinny jeans, shorts, skirts, baggy jeans, you name it!
   
2. Comfortable – Vans are very comfortable. The shoes easily slip on and are an excellent choice for festivals, skating sessions, or a quick trip to the grocery store.
   
3. Different colors – Partly thanks to the surge in popularity of the brand, Vans has released many, many different colourways. Even though the classic black Old Skools or Sk8-Hi remain the most popular, for more bold colourways you’re also at the right address. Check out the entire Vans collection here at Freshcotton!