Vans Era
The Vans Era, another classic for your sneaker collection. The Era Van is one of the first skate shoes with laces.
The Vans Era, another classic for your sneaker collection. The Era Vans is one of the first skate shoes with laces. The pair of Vans is padded for extra comfort and support when skating. La Era is one of the Californian brand's emblems with its embossed rubber soles that everyone recognizes.
History of the Vans Era
The Vans Era is a classic sneaker that was first introduced in 1976. The first sneaker ever designed specifically for skateboarding. A legendary classic that was developed with direct input from the pioneers of the California skateboard scene.
The vans in the 70's
The popularity of skateboarding in the early 70's played a big role in the history of the van era. The first skateboarders of this period were surfers who practiced tricks on the ground. Attaching roller wheels to homemade boards, they roamed the streets of California looking for steep slides and places to skate. Just like on the water, they did it barefoot. The boards quickly evolved into more familiar shapes and sizes, sanded griptails appeared on the boards, and with that came the need for sturdy shoes with good grip.
During those same years, a young skateboard team called Zephyr was formed in Santa Monica. The local teenagers were mentored by one of the founders of the surf store of the same name - Jeff Ho, who also invented new tricks and started producing boards. Zephyr's skateboarders were on the winners list of all the major competitions. Each team member performed in a blue T-shirt, Levi's jeans and a dark blue Authentic Vans. The Era management could not let the success of the Z-Boys go unnoticed and offered the two promising riders a partnership. Subsequently, they participated in the development of the Vans era.
A sneaker for skateboarding
The Vans Era is the first Vans sneaker designed specifically for skateboarding. The "Kings of Dogtown" - Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta, the best skateboarders of the Zephyr team - participated in the design of the model. The new product was based on the classic Vans #44 sneakers, now known as Authentic.
The design of the new product is almost exactly the same as the previous model. It is a classic sneaker made of dense sailcloth that was originally shipped from far away Japan. In addition to a thick vulcanized rubber sole, the Era has a thick collar around the ankle, which protects the foot from the shock of skateboarding. In those days, athletes practiced tricks in swimming pools and the board often fell off, injuring their ankles.
On the outside, a two-tone design was an important innovation, along with a redesigned logo and the slogan "Off the Wall" on the heel, in reference to a statement by one of Z-Boys' founders, Skip Engblom. At the time of its release, the model was named #95 and was only renamed Era in 1993 to commemorate an era called the Golden Age of Skateboarding.
Popular culture and collaborations
It's hard to imagine, but the first collaboration based on the Vans era took place in the 1970s. The fabric used to cover an exclusive pair of sneakers sold at Disneyland. Since then, countless collaborations and themed editions have been made, using different materials as well as the most unusual color combinations and prints.
Over the years, Vans Era has given rise to dozens of collaborations with brands around the world, from Scandinavian minimalist cowboys Wood Wood and the Japanese brand WTAPS to Supreme and Fear Of God.
When asked "What is the secret of the model's success and popularity? - Tony Alva answers that it is the unique combination of timeless style and functionality that brand founder Paul Van Doren relied on from the very beginning.
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History of the Vans Era
The Vans Era is a classic sneaker that was first introduced in 1976. The first sneaker ever designed specifically for skateboarding. A legendary classic that was developed with direct input from the pioneers of the California skateboard scene.
The vans in the 70's
The popularity of skateboarding in the early 70's played a big role in the history of the van era. The first skateboarders of this period were surfers who practiced tricks on the ground. Attaching roller wheels to homemade boards, they roamed the streets of California looking for steep slides and places to skate. Just like on the water, they did it barefoot. The boards quickly evolved into more familiar shapes and sizes, sanded griptails appeared on the boards, and with that came the need for sturdy shoes with good grip.
During those same years, a young skateboard team called Zephyr was formed in Santa Monica. The local teenagers were mentored by one of the founders of the surf store of the same name - Jeff Ho, who also invented new tricks and started producing boards. Zephyr's skateboarders were on the winners list of all the major competitions. Each team member performed in a blue T-shirt, Levi's jeans and a dark blue Authentic Vans. The Era management could not let the success of the Z-Boys go unnoticed and offered the two promising riders a partnership. Subsequently, they participated in the development of the Vans era.
A sneaker for skateboarding
The Vans Era is the first Vans sneaker designed specifically for skateboarding. The "Kings of Dogtown" - Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta, the best skateboarders of the Zephyr team - participated in the design of the model. The new product was based on the classic Vans #44 sneakers, now known as Authentic.
The design of the new product is almost exactly the same as the previous model. It is a classic sneaker made of dense sailcloth that was originally shipped from far away Japan. In addition to a thick vulcanized rubber sole, the Era has a thick collar around the ankle, which protects the foot from the shock of skateboarding. In those days, athletes practiced tricks in swimming pools and the board often fell off, injuring their ankles.
On the outside, a two-tone design was an important innovation, along with a redesigned logo and the slogan "Off the Wall" on the heel, in reference to a statement by one of Z-Boys' founders, Skip Engblom. At the time of its release, the model was named #95 and was only renamed Era in 1993 to commemorate an era called the Golden Age of Skateboarding.
Popular culture and collaborations
It's hard to imagine, but the first collaboration based on the Vans era took place in the 1970s. The fabric used to cover an exclusive pair of sneakers sold at Disneyland. Since then, countless collaborations and themed editions have been made, using different materials as well as the most unusual color combinations and prints.
Over the years, Vans Era has given rise to dozens of collaborations with brands around the world, from Scandinavian minimalist cowboys Wood Wood and the Japanese brand WTAPS to Supreme and Fear Of God.
When asked "What is the secret of the model's success and popularity? - Tony Alva answers that it is the unique combination of timeless style and functionality that brand founder Paul Van Doren relied on from the very beginning.
