Vans is looking to the past to reimagine the present. The skateboarding brand’s “Always Out There” collection is inspired by Y2K fashion and includes three shoes, the Upland, the Hylane and the Mixxa. All three shoes are available at Vans stores and on Vans.com.
The Upland brings back an archival style first conceived in 1999. The shoe has been modernized with a new outsole that improves comfort, featuring a chunky stance and underfoot support. The upper is made of leather and a molded V logo that is meant to merge the retro and the modern. The Upland will be available in three colorways set to be released over the course of the summer.
The Hylane draws inspiration from 1990s style with its chunky silhouette and puffy tongue; there are also contemporary features including a 3D glossed sidestripe and embroidered logos. Additionally, the shoe includes extra padding and upgraded underfoot support. Featuring an oversized Vans logo, the Hylane will be available in a black and white colorway in addition to a green option.
The Mixxa is an all-new style inspired by the Vans’ Ehkks shoe from 1999, which gained recognition when AJ Soprano wore them on HBO’s hit crime drama “The Sopranos.” The Mixxa is comprised of a stitched-on cupsole, a padded tongue including a “lace holder” overlay, a puffy collar and flat, wide laces. Vans also describes the shoe as featuring “retro branding with bold color-blocking.”
The “Always Out There” campaign features skate crews from around the world modeling the new shoes, including Beatrice Domond in New York’s Lower East Side, Helena Long in London, and Rio Morishige in Tokyo, in addition to their respective crews. Per Vans, the campaign seeks to capture “how a new generation defines ‘Off the Wall.'”
See more photos from the “Always Out There” collection below.
