Vans shoes are one of, if not the biggest, skateboarding shoe company in the world. From starting as a humble custom shoe shop in California, Vans has become one of the most successful shoe brands in the world, according to Statisca’s research.
When the first shoe was introduced, it was called “Style 44” (now known as “Vans Authentic ‘Black’”) and quickly became a favorite among customers with its simple design and affordable price tag.
As skateboarding rose in popularity,Vans shoes became more recognized by skaters. In 1976, Stacy Peralta, Tony Alva, and Vans created the first shoe made specifically for skateboarders, named originally “#95,” now called “The Era”. The ankle collar became padded for extra stability compared to the Style 44 which held more of a lightweight feel when put side-by-side.
Only a year later, Vans released another shoe called “Style 36,” rebranded as “Old Skool” in later years. This was marked as the first Vans shoe to incorporate ‘leather panels’ for additional durability, along with being the first Vans shoe to add the iconic ‘jazz stripe’ we see today.
The following year, the first high-top made for skateboarding was created: “Sk8-Hi.” This shoe was designed with extra padding around the ankle and differed from the other shoes in the market at the time.
In 1984, Vans had to file for bankruptcy due to the amount of different sports shoes they were trying to make, which led them to being unable to “overcome debt” according to the official Vans website. Despite this, Vans continued to dominate the market throughout the 90’s.
In an attempt to get their money and fame back, they launched Warped Tour in 1995 and focused on heavier punk with a line up of Quicksand, L7, Sublime, and more. The Warped tour helped boost its popularity back up with younger fans and the skateboarding scene.
Today, most Vans shoes still hold the old shape and form of their shoes from the past, but they now vary more with the designs they come out with, transitioning from a skateboarding brand to more of a stylistic choice of shoe so they could be worn by anyone. No matter, if you are looking for skating shoes or stylistic shoes with cool designs, Vans is the shoe for you.
