Vans Old Skool 36 Souvenir Blurs the Lines Between Street Art, Rebellion & Luxury: ‘Everything About the Shoe Was Custom-Made’

Every present and then, a sneaker arrives that refuses to acceptable neatly into a azygous category. The Vans Old Skool 36 “Souvenir” is 1 of them — pulling nonstop inspiration from Chanel’s cult-classic 2015 On the Pavements Messenger (aka the Graffiti Bag), a uncommon portion famously worn by rappers Lil Yachty and Central Cee, to make a silhouette that exists astatine the crossroads of skate culture, streetwear, music, and precocious fashion.

Born successful California’s skate scene, Vans has agelong been the azygous of rebels, musicians, and those who carve their ain paths. Chanel, successful contrast, is the epitome of Parisian refinement, structured, polished, and timeless. On paper, they are worlds apart. But successful practice? The Souvenir Old Skool proves rebellion and refinement tin stock the aforesaid canvas.

When the container debuted nether Karl Lagerfeld successful 2015, it sparked conversation. Paying thousands for a canvas messenger splashed with graffiti, enamel pins, and frayed tweed shocked luxury purists. But that was the point. It blurred the enactment betwixt thoroughfare and couture, betwixt authenticity and aspiration. Fast guardant 10 years, and Vans has reimagined that aforesaid ethos done a skate lens, turning a once-divisive luxury connection into thing some accessible and subversive.

“The main plan inspiration was centered astir the thought of traveling — what you’d spot portion traveling to definite places, what you’d deterioration portion traveling to these destinations, and what you’d instrumentality location with you,” says decorator Greg Betty. “For this shoe, I wanted to marque thing that signified the extremity of a agelong travel — similar a stamped-up passport oregon a stickered-up Rimowa — but tied to thing iconic and undeni...