Vans has joined forces with British fashion house Vivienne Westwood to create the footwear capsule collection “Anglomania”. Meant to celebrate individualism and freedom, the collection comprises of six Vans silhouettes reinterpreted with iconic Westwood prints and graphics.
Sk8-Hi
The Sk8-Hi ($189), a taller version of the low-top Vans Old Skool, is popular as an everyday sneaker for many. This version is made with a natural vegetable dye tan leather and has graphics that reference each brand’s birthplace. The shoes feature embossed markings of a handwritten letter sent from Southern California to Vivienne Westwood’s flagship boutique at 44 Conduit St., London. It also has a printed postage stamp listing the collaboration launch date and a leather-bound matching tan outsole.
Sk8-Hi Platform
Next, there’s the Sk8-Hi Platform ($169) which is inspired by Vivienne Westwood’s iconic 1981 Pirate boot. Similar to the original, this rendition includes the tan vegetable dye buckled strap across the high-top form. However, unlike the original which went mid-calf, this pair is just a high-top version that’s more current looking.
Checkerboard Slip-On
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The Checkerboard Slip-On ($109) celebrates the history of both brands with Vans’ Checkerboard pattern intertwined with Vivienne Westwood’s DESTROY graphic. It’s interesting to note that both brand signatures debuted in 1977 but they couldn’t be much different. The black and white muted style of the Vans’ Checkerboard pattern juxtaposes the bright red graphic of the Westwood’s for an eye-catching look that is also versatile. Additionally, Westwood subverts the Checkerboard design to include larger-scale checks applied diagonally on the vamp.
Style #53
The collection reintroduces Style #53 ($129), a silhouette from Vans ’90s archives. The loafer style slip-on features black suede uppers, and a black lugged outsole, which makes for the perfect backdrop for the Vivienne Westwood multi-colored metal orb logo. The orb, which features British royal iconography and a satellite ring like the one on Saturn, signifies Vivienne Westwood’s idea of taking tradition into the future.
Old Skool
Lastly, there are the Old Skool and Authentic styles which showcase the Vivienne Westwood Orb and Lightning Bolt print from the collection of house prints and feature the “VW” monogram. The Old Skool ($129) is Vans’ classic skate shoe and the first to bear the iconic side stripe. In this iteration, the shoes come in oxblood suede and canvas with contrasting mustard stitching and gum sole.
Authentic
Vans’ original and now iconic deck shoe, the Authentic ($109), is pretty similar in silhouette, with a simple low top and lace-up profile. It is in a new vivid sky-blue colorway made exclusively for this collaboration, with pops of red and yellow in the form of lightning bolts.
Available at select Vans and Vivienne Westwood retail locations and online at Vans.com and VivienneWestwood.com from 20 September 2019. Visit vans.com/viviennewestwood for more information.
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