In the lead up to Pride month, Vans releases its love letter to love itself “in all its various forms”, unveiling the latest addition to the Vans Off The Wall Pride Gallery Collection. The collection is a celebration of self-expression and features a collaboration between artists across the globe.
Vans, the streetwear cult classic established in 1966, has been making waves in street and youth culture from its infamous white curve original branding to its advocacy and initiatives. Sold in 97 countries worldwide, Vans promotes “creative self-expression in youth culture across action sports, art, music, and street culture” delivering progressive platforms such as Vans Checkerboard Day, Vans Park Series, Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, Vans Custom Culture, and they Vans cultural hub and international music venue House of Vans.
The latest release features a rework of the classic Vans slip-on, and artwork from the streets of Milan, collaborating with Italy-based photographer Sara Lorusso. Designs feature a lipstick kiss mark motif given by Lorusso’s friends and Lorusso’s photography in the footbed’s insole, against a backdrop of papers covered in kiss marks, friends’s names and “LOVE CAN SAVE US” written on the wall.
Also released is the Authentic™ sneaker, which in collaboration with Hong-Kong artist Kailin Chan and LA based Ashley Lukashevsky reworks Vans into two completely different colourways, featuring original artwork from the two artists. Chan’s design is a vibrant and playful rework of the classic Vans colourway and a nod to her Queer Chinese community, featuring the slogan “Chosen Family” and incorporating traditional chinese imagery and design elements. While Lukashevsky combines print and embroidery techniques to a clean white upper for an understated statement on sexuality and cultural identity.
The collection also includes apparel from Chan’s elaborately embroidered Drill Chore Coat to an assortment of short-sleeve tees with artwork from Lorusso and Lukashevsky and slogans that read “Angels Have No Gender” and “Love Can Save Us”. Anything but a wallflower, this Off The Wall Collection champions individuality and identity.
Of the collection Vans had to say: “Pride month brings visibility to the inequities and inequalities that the LGBTQ+ community is continually fighting for, and Vans has teamed up with incredible artists to showcase the creative voices influencing social change and encouraging acceptance in communities around the world.”
The Vans OTW Pride Gallery collection is now live online and can now be found in stores worldwide.
More on CULTED
See also: THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS – AS SEEN IN FASHION
See also: BRACE FOR IMPACT: BODY ARMOUR IS EVERYWHERE IN FASHION
