We drove past the VansWorld HQ in Costa Mesa, California last week on another of our NorCal-to-SoCal journeys. We saw empty parking lots, a large construction project in their backyard, and thought to ourselves–we should check in with Doug Palladini to see how Vans is handling the current situation. Few in action sports are dealing with more of the new now than the global president of Vans.
As many would point out, that would require us to do a little more work than we’re used to doing. Luckily, GroupY (which is turning 14 this year) got the old CrossRocket band back together and interviewed Doug for us– on video. Please, sit back and enjoy this interview conducted by former TransWorld Media Publisher, Snowboarder Magazine Editor, Swell.com Editor, content programming strategist, and media executive Rob Campbell.
Vans Global Brand President Doug Palladini sent a letter to Vans employee world wide outlining the work that Vans is currently doing to support those in need. He included the Vans ‘Foot The Bill’ initiative, product donations and partnership with Hedley & Bennett to use Vans’ shoe canvas to make and donate more than 250,000 reusable facial masks.
As a brand engrained in the belief that we aren’t a shoe and apparel company but a people company that makes shoes and apparel, looking after our people has always been and will remain our top priority. This commitment rang true in March as we made the decision to shift corporate offices to remote working and temporarily closed our stores in the U.S. and Canada to prioritize the safety and health of you and all of our store associates. I am especially humbled by the fact that in partnership with VF Corp., we’ve been able to ensure that our store associates have continued to receive full pay and benefits during closures. Additionally, I want to express my personal appreciation for our distribution center associates who continue to facilitate consumer purchases from Vans.com. Their dedication to our brand is truly inspiring and together with VF Corp., we continue to implement proactive steps to uphold the well-being of our associates.
During these rough times it’s great to see good people (and brands) rising to the challenge in such positive ways. So stoked that Vans is able to do the right thing for their employees and for people around the world. For the entire letter, please follow the jump.
It’s one of those partnerships that should have happened long ago. Why wouldn’t the world’s most recognizable skateboarder wear the world’s most authentic skateboarding shoe? Duh! So today, it’s official. Tony Hawk is a global brand ambassador for Vans.
“Vans has supported skateboarding since the very beginning, and never wavered in its commitment, even with massive mainstream success,” said Tony Hawk. “I have always respected their integrity, so it is an honor to officially join forces and help continue to grow skateboarding culture in the most authentic way possible.”
It’s weird, but we’re oddly stoked that Tony is back in the Vans family. Aren’t you? For the official word from Vans, please follow the jump.
Vans is doing their part to help small businesses around the world with their new Foot The Bill custom shoe designs initiative.
To support our extended Vans Family, Vans has committed to helping 80 small, independent businesses including skate and specialty shops, restaurants, music venues and community- driven spaces by offering their custom-made designs available for purchase on Vans Customs with net proceeds going directly to these vital partners. . . “My father Paul Van Doren always said that we were a people company that made shoes. Now, more than ever, it’s important to support the people that provide spaces for communities around the world to be creative and come together,” said Steve Van Doren, son of Vans’ founder and Vans’ Vice President of Events and Promotions. “We were once a small business and wouldn’t be where we are today without the support of these partners. We hope to rally together with our consumers to lend a helping hand to those that are in need.”
The program will expand to include additional independent skate shops, surf shops, restaurants, music venues and community driven spaces over the next month and will be available on Vans.com in Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Spain, the Netherlands, United States and United Kingdom. For all the details, including a list of retailers please follow the jump.
Vans has just dropped the sweetest traveling shoes for those days when you don’t need to skate your way through traffic. They are called the UltraRange EXOs.
The shoe features an internal EXO skeleton that provides built-in support across the toes and medial sidewall, with a heel lock for a secure fit. New to the equation is the UltraCush® Lite midsole, offering rebound and support without adding weight. Increasing breathability, the UltraCush® tongue provides ports for superior airflow. Finally, a full rubber wrapped reverse waffle lug outsole brings traction and flexibility to the UltraRange EXO.
Looking for comfort and convenience? These may be just the shoes. For the official word from Vans, please follow the jump.
We’re done riding boots that don’t have Boa closures. Once you’ve experienced the click-click smoothness of micro adjustments on the fly and perfect distribution of hold it would be silly to go back to other retrograde lacing systems. Apparently, Bryan Iguchi feels the same way because his new Vans Verse signature snowboard boots feature not one, but two BOA loops to hold everything together.
The Verse is Vans most responsive and supportive snowboard boot model and utilizes the precision and power of the Boa® Closure System. Employing the Custom Focus Plus construction, this particular routing showcases the micro-adjustability of Boa® in a dynamic, dual-zone configuration. The result is unlimited flex control and superior heel hold, meeting the standards of the most demanding riders.
The Verse also features the V3 UltraCush North Face Flashdry liner, an elevated option that moves moisture to the surface layer for hyper-fast evaporation. The collection also includes the UltraRange MTE Hi Gore-Tex, a waterproof high-top that serves as an all-conditions must-have for before and afters. Seems like the perfect set of footwear for most all-mountain ripping right? For all the details, please follow the jump.
Vans is excited to announce the return of our annual international snowboard competition, the Vans Hi-Standard Series. Kicking off 2020 in Canada and journeying around the world, the tour invites riders of all ages from around the globe to showcase creative expression in a fun, open-jam format.
Next year’s iteration will see the Hi-Standard series land in China, South Korea, Russia and Italy, in addition to several stops in North America. Each event features a big air session, where participants are judged solely on their individual style, with no inverts or spins over 720 allowed. This format taps into creativity, awarding only the most innovative competitor who shows pure style and originality. Regional MVPs win an all-expense paid trip to the grand finale at Brighton Resort for a chance to snowboard with the Vans snow team and battle it out for the 2020 Vans Hi-Standard Series MVP title.
For all the details, including the full schedule, please follow the jump.
The downside of holding an open design competition is that someday, someone is going to design something that someone else has a problem with. Well, Vans experienced that this week, according to a story on CNN. The someone is “a Canada-based user named Naomiso” and the someone else with a problem just might be the People’s Republic of China. Vans reportedly pulled the design (along with others) from their Custom Culture design competition on Saturday, October 5, 2019 saying in a facebook post:
“As a brand that is open to everyone, we have never taken a political position and therefore review designs to ensure they are in line with our company’s long-held values of respect and tolerance, as well as with our clearly communicated guidelines for this competition,” the statement said, without referring specifically to the protest-themed design.
The shoe, shown above, features “a red bauhinia, the flower on Hong Kong’s flag, and one of the yellow umbrellas synonymous with the city’s 2014 pro-democracy protests.” The designer was told the submission was pulled for the following reason:
“Not allowed: Trademarked or copyrighted material, business or brand logos, images of celebrities, professional team logos or mascots, nudity, images of weapons/violence, images referencing drugs, alcohol or smoking, offensive contest, obscenity or hate.”
Obviously, there are a few people upset by the shoe’s removal, and now a #boycottvans movement has apparently started. According to CNN, one Hong Kong shoe retailer has closed three of their stores because of “the controversy created by the contest.” Rough going for a contest about creativity and expression. For the rest of the story, please click the link.
Vans Global Brand President Doug Palladini sent a letter to Vans employee world wide outlining the work that Vans is currently doing to support those in need. He included the Vans ‘Foot The Bill’ initiative, product donations and partnership with Hedley & Bennett to use Vans’ shoe canvas to make and donate more than 250,000 reusable facial masks.
Vans is doing their part to help small businesses around the world with their new Foot The Bill custom shoe designs initiative.
Vans is excited to announce the return of our annual international snowboard competition, the Vans Hi-Standard Series. Kicking off 2020 in Canada and journeying around the world, the tour invites riders of all ages from around the globe to showcase creative expression in a fun, open-jam format.
