Brand: Slam Jam x Vans
Model: Sk8-Hi
Release Date: September 22
Price: TBC
Buy: Online at Slam Jam
Editor's Notes: If anybody has a monopoly on iconic skate silhouettes, it's got to be Vans, right? Although it doesn't literally have a chokehold on that cultural space, its silhouettes and brand are so deeply inshrined, alongside the likes of Nike SB's Dunks or Blazers, that it almost feels like you can't talk about skateboarding without mentioning Vans at least once.
Instantly recognizable as one of the brand's most unmistakable and globally iconic silhouettes, the Sk8-Hi has stood the test of time, remaining one of the most beloved skate sneakers of all time. That being said, its adoration lives far beyond the bounds of skate, with its classic white-on-black render being one of the most frequently seen shoes on Tumblr during its peak in the mid-2010s.
It feels like nearly everyone has taken a pop at the silhouette, whether they've succeeded or not when taking their hand to it is to be deciphered case-by-case, but largely, it's pretty hard to fuck up a Sk8-Hi.
Perhaps its beauty is engrained in its classic shape – why would you drastically alter it? That's the kind of thinking that results in the version that we're receiving from Slam Jam. It goes heavy on punk, shifting the attitude of the silhouette, yet goes the extra mile to highlight what makes it such a popular sneaker.
Presented as a twist on the shoe's classic palette, the medial sides are inverted in contrast to the lateral sides, creating a Two-Face-like profile that's elevated with red-on-black typography laces, a printed outsole design, and upside-down A branding at the heel.
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