concept to completion
Vans' Current Classics - Responsible Design Project
I started this project in 2019 to make Vans classics more sustainable, improved comfort, and to make aesthetic improvements - now Vans' standard classics as of late 2023.
Vans
50th Anniversary Collection
concept development
Concept refinement
Execution
Vans Old Skool
In 2008, I saw an opportunity to reimagine the Old Skool as it was not a strong selling product while its importance to culture and its potential for the Vans brand was underutilized.
The early 2000's curled up, bulky toe spring, straight-line paneling and non-anatomical finishing lacked character and appeal. The new design focused on craftsmanship, updating the "jazz stripe" branding & re-proportioning - specifically a longer vamp, and lower slung upper proportions, and accentuating the hand crafted assembly of the outsole layers along with elevated, historic storytelling come together to make the perfect "Old Skool" with period correct 80's/90's linings and packaging.
The shape, fit, paneling, textures and proportions were redesigned on an updated last - massive changes that were not concerning for a slower selling product.
This project proved to be very successful with this design of Old Skool becoming a over a billion dollar franchise across all categories at it's height.
Gallery;
Process, design and storytelling work for "Reissues" Old Skool design.
Ray Barbee skating in early 90's spec Style 36 aka "Old Skool" black/white & white/black color ways from 411 Video Magazine.
Vans - Made In USA
2017 / style 113 / ArcAd
Create the best skateboarding shoes ever made - Combine the grip, "flick" and forefoot board feel of Vans classic footwear, the protection and mid foot support of molded cupsole/court shoe footwear - and finally add the modern comfort and cushioning offered by foam midsole athletic footwear.
This combination of traits had been limited by the temperature requirements of vulcanizing rubber and assembly challenges with new outsole shapes.
This concept drawing from 2010 helped factory development and proved that the combination was possible to manufacture.
Vans WaffleCup
Once we knew manufacture was possible and a previous version of the technology was dropped due to development objections and signature athlete contract issues, I pitched a team shoe idea in which the components of the shoe could be adjusted for each skateboarder through a documented weartest.
This program was called the "Stage 4".
A new footwear technology designed to capture everything that skateboarders want in a shoe.
WaffleCup construction is widely available across all Vans categories offering support, durability, and styling progression.
Vans Vault x Ray Barbee - Holiday 2004
Legendary skateboarder and musician, Ray Barbee, turned professional with his iconic "ragdoll" graphic in 1989 as a member of Powell Peralta's "Bones Brigade". Ray pioneered & popularized street skateboarding with smooth style and innovative tricks.
Vans' new pinnacle lifestyle category, Vault, was just established but had not yet debuted. It offered premium leather and woven textile versions of historic Vans footwear to establish a classics relevance... I proposed an authentic skateboarding project commemorating Ray Barbee 15 years of professional skateboarding. I hand packed each box with a CD of Ray's music and a t-shirt screen printed by Claus Van Doren. This was Vans' first pinnacle project to feature skateboarding as well as the first Vans project to add special items into the packaging - which also continued in other pinnacle projects for many years. Fender made several guitars to support Ray's project as well.
Performance Constructions; PRO LITE & RAPIDWELD
Stitched seams are the weak link in skateboarding shoes.
Weight is one of the weaknesses of vulcanized footwear.
This project allowed Vans to commercialize and validate several design innovations that came from learnings from designing the LXVI category.
Vans' first lightweight vulcanized performance shoe and the first stitchless vulcanized skate shoe - offering the style preferred by many skateboarders with increased performance, breathability and durability.
This upper construction is still used in Vans' best skate performance shoes and helped inform Goretex Invisible Fit Classics. The outsole construction informs Vans' Skate classics line and much of the work used for the current Classics construction (Responsible Classics Build)
Pro Lite construction and Rapidweld Vulc construction is now widely used across all Vans categories offering durable, lightweight, efficient/sustainable solutions, and eliminating material limitations to vulcanization.
