Although each passing year continues in the most rabid today, Vans was born in 1966, CA, as a shoe store of its own. At the beginning known as Van Doren’s, it soon began with a brutal expansion - in which stores were opened at the rate of one per week - and changed the name of the brand to Vans.
The manufacturing process, which at that time was local and artisanal, allowed to achieve a level of customization that at that time fell deep between the BMX skateboarder and riders communities of the time. The diamond-shaped sole that they patented, was really resistant while giving the shoe a special flexibility.
But what really meant a revolution in Vans was the movie That Exciting Course. In which a young man, starring Sean Penn in his first film role, wore a Vans Slip On with black and white squares. Does this shoe sound like to you? Well, it was fashionable in the late finales70s! And it is one of the things that the marca Off the wall ’brand has, that its designs are timeless.
Already consolidated in some extreme sports, Vans began sponsoring skate, BMX and surf events. Some of them being very famous, such as the Vans Triple Crown. One of the events of the year when surfing in Hawaii, or the Vans US Open of Surfing. In which, in addition to the surfing championship, parallel events of other extreme sports are held.
With a strong connection to the world of music, Vans has been doing Warped Tour since 1995. Known for being one of the longest in the US, bands like NOFX, Bad Religion or Pennywise have passed.