If Carhartt Made Skate Shoes…
Many moons ago, Carhartt WIP and Vans would collaborate on skate shoes. They’d do so pretty regularly, on sneakers as varied as a hickory striped Chukka from 2015 or a ripstop and suede pair of Vans Authentic shoes released in 2011.
But the collaborations have long dried up. Carhartt WIP now regularly releases shoes with New Balance and Vans' closest skate shoe rival, Converse, instead. Meanwhile, Vans found new partners with which to make workwear-imbued footwear. So be it, all good things (and all good skate shoes) must come to an end.
However, there is one skate sneaker that quietly combines signature Carhartt textiles with Vans’ footwear styling.
This newly released Vans Premium Authentic Duck Canvas is everything you would expect from a modern-day Carhartt x Vans link-up, sans Carhartt WIP branding.
As is explicitly spelled out in its title, this elevated take on a Vans skate shoe is made from duck canvas.
That is the hard-wearing, tightly woven cotton traditionally used on workwear (the clothing genre Carhartt is synonymous with).
In this case, 8 oz. duck canvas is applied to a low-top Vans Authentic shoe, a sleek skate sneaker first adopted by skaters in the ‘70s and still associated with the sport today.
The heavy-duty but not terribly weighty cotton material is left in its natural undyed state, which contrasts nicely against the vibrant blue sole unit.
As this shoe is part of Vans’ Premium line, there’s also a high-end full-grain leather collar lining included within the ankle.
And there’s a premium price point to match, the shoes are available now from Vans’ website for $80 (a considerable investment against the $55 that a regular pair of Vans Authentic sneakers will normally set you back).
While another Carhartt x Vans collaboration looks unlikely to appear any time soon, these workwear-imbued shoes are the next best thing.
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