A Classic Skate Shoe in a Rugged Firefighter's Jacket
Vans classic skate shoe, the Old Skool, is moonlighting as a firefighter. Or so it would seem based on the brand’s Premium Old Skool Wrap Karina Shoe, created in collaboration with California-based surfer Karina Rozunko.
The collaborative Vans sneaker ditches its typical lace-up construction and opts for a series of three metal clasps on the lateral side of the shoe, holding down a black suede panel that sweeps along the top of the Old Skool.
These silver-hued clasps are the same as what you’d find on a traditional firefighter's workwear jacket. However, here they appear as a hardy update to a ubiquitous skate shoe.
Elsewhere on the black sneaker, Rozunko has added an asymmetrical textured white rubber that extends from the sole unit and onto the suede upper.
These updates bring a distinct new look to the Old Skool, and that was the goal of the collaboration.
Rozunko is part of the Vans’ New Future campaign, where it asked four athletes to reimagine the brand’s Old Skool silhouette. And if you think this Fireman clasp-wielding sneaker is wild, wait till you see the rest of the campaign.
Comprising four sneakers in total, other collaborations in the project include thick goth-coded stompers and a skate shoe that wears friendship bracelets. Rozunko’s design releases on September 4 via Vans’ website, retailing for $110.
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