Vans is teaming with SoCal creative and Midnight Studios founder Shane Gonzales on a Western Americana-themed sneaker capsule.
Launching April 7, the collection, dubbed “Star Spangled Glamour,” offers three Vault by Vans shoes, including the Old Skool VLT LX, Authentic Zip VLT LX, and Sk8-Hi Reissue Strap VLT LX, all reimagined with a rock-and-roll aesthetic characteristic of Gonzales’ style.
The collection riffs on recognizable American motifs and styling, pulling influence from cowboy boots, jeans and leather jackets. The shoes feature chrome, leather and denim—a nod to the classic styles that defined Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard. The black leather Old Skool VLT LX sneakers feature contrasting Western embroidery. The Authentic Zip VLT LX is remade in light-wash blue denim, with a flap concealing the laces and chrome zippers and snaps. The Sk8-Hi Reissue Strap VLT LX in black leather nods to motorcycle jackets, with epaulets, buckles and zipper details. Retailing for $130-$185, the collection will be available at Vans’ Downtown L.A. store, the Midnight Studios e-commerce site, and select Vault by Vans retail partners.
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Gonzales and his nine-year-old brand, Midnight Studios, are known for pulling influence from skateboarding culture and the Los Angeles music scene. Describing his style as “anti-aesthetic,” Gonzales has blended youth street style with an avant-garde, non-traditional design approach that appeals to various audiences. Midnight Studios has collaborated with everyone from Off-White and Converse, to A$AP Rocky’s “AWGE” label, The Rolling Stones, Kendrick Lamar, Courtney Love, Ozzy Osbourne, Motorhead, and The Batman.
“Collaborating with Vans is such a full circle moment for me,” Gonzales said. “My friends and I grew up skating in Vans every day to and from school. Drawing on them, and thrashing them until they weren’t wearable anymore.”
“When I got the opportunity to create my own collection, I wanted to re-imagine the three Vans silhouettes that bring me back to my childhood, and incorporate timeless all-American motifs into the design that I know will wear beautifully over time,” he added.