Vans Rides The Patent Leather Craze With The Old Skool “Harajuku”

No, it’s not another “Pearlized” (for now). Though the gemstone-laden program has become shorthand for Vans’ recent revitaliziation, neither their in-house efforts or their OTW label are limited to that bejeweled lane. Even if he’s no longer within the walls at VF Corp., Greg Betty has been telling that story for months, sharing behind-the-scenes insight into the colorways he cooked up during his time as a Vans designer.

Now having jumped to the Jumpman, Mr. Betty has been the man pulling the strings for many of the more beloved recent editions, your “Souvenir,” your “La Habana,” even last year’s Gallery Dept. collaboration. In his most recent showcase of designs coming down the pike, he detailed the Vans Old Skool “Harajuku,” among others, the two-pack inspired by the glossy, hi-vis leanings of the 2000s (Kanye West, BAPE, etc.)

As any of our astute readership could identify, that particular sector of Y2K aesthetics has been in focus across the landscape for some time, but don’t discount how novel of an inclusion that is on a Vans shoe. Despite that unexpected materiality, the palettes used here are digestible within the Vans ouevre; a classic blue/yellow is almost-varsity like, while its counterpart utilizes an earthy olive/burgundy foundation before splitting into bright pink across the Sidestripe.

The Vans Old Skool 36 “Harajuku” hasn’t hit stateside yet, but select retailers have already put up their stock. Stores like Sneaker Politics have both colorways listed for $105 each.

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The post Vans Rides The Patent Leather Craze With The Old Skool "Harajuku"
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