Off the Wall

URBAN OUTFITTERS flannel

GOLD skinnies (similar here)

COLLAR (cool and reasonable option here)

VANS Chukka Low

DREGS longboard

Vans is more than just a shoe company; it’s a lifestyle. Since the mid 1960s the action sport brand has fueled the renegade skateboard culture and other adrenaline driven junkies. The bond between brand and consumer arrived from being the first skateboarding company to sponsor athletes, who had both talent and colorful personalities, and giving them the power to help design the products. This served to heighten the authenticity of the Vans brand by giving the culture that they are targeting, ownership in the creation of the brand. The shoe named ‘the Era,’ designed by professional skateboard Tony Alva and skateboarding figure Stacy Peralta, became the iconic shoe for riders due to its superior grip on the board.

Vans continued to strengthen their lifestyle brand by focusing on integrating the brand into the skater’s lifestyle rather than trying to push the lifestyle onto the skater. As Vans CEO Gary Schoenfeld told Inc. magazine, “Kids don’t relate to direct hard-sell advertising. They see through a company that’s just spending a lot of money to attract their attention. Our strategy is to integrate ourselves more into their lifestyle” through events and concerts with extreme sports. By sponsoring events such as the “Warped Tour,” an extreme sports and musical festival, and opening skateboard complexes with Vans stand-alone stores across America, Vans is intertwining their products into the regular activities of their customers.

Cult brands, such as Vans, achieve a unique connection with customers, and are able to create a consumer culture that people want to be a part of. Personally, I am motivated by an aesthetic like the style curated at Vans that is developed from the countercultures of the past and that supports the countercultures of the present. Vans footwear and apparel reference a culture of youth in our history who resisted the socially accepted norms of the time. But not only are Van’s unfailing designs celebrating times of liberation in our past, they are also encouraging youth to be ‘Off the Wall’ by releasing themselves from the social constraints of today.

During this shoot, my photographer brother, Matt, and I went downtown London, Ontario and found this amazing mural, done by a local artist, that captured the colors of my Vans inspired outfit. This outfit can be used as inspiration for both men and women since 2/3 of the outfit is purchased from menswear sections.  I have found some great menswear pieces lately, and although the pieces are rather large, this season, oversized is encouraged. So ladies, embrace the chance to expand your options. 

For the men reading, take note of the rich, autumn colors as seen in the shirt and shoes (both from the men’s section) for this season. Also, instead of wearing a graphic tee with these casual vans, try mixing it up with a buttoned up flannel shirt, un-tucked, and add a chunky watch from a company like Nixon.

Xo

cee.staf