History of Vans & California | Community Shifters

Vans has made a name for itself through the rise of skateboarding culture in the 60s and 70s, cementing its stake in the action sport. Outside forces within media and entertainment, shoutout to Sean Penn and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, have helped catapult the brand onto a world-wide platform, building a fan base that lives beyond California’s borders. And despite having international acclaim, people always link Vans back to its West Coast roots. What is it about the waffle-soled sneaker that keeps it tethered to The Golden State? We take a deeper look into Vans and their Californian connection.

Brothers in Rubber

Brothers Paul and Jim Van Doren were always in the footwear industry before starting Vans in 1966. The two worked at Randy’s, one of the country’s top shoe manufacturers in the early 60s. As Paul learned the odds and ends of running a footwear company, advancing from his early days of sweeping the factory floors to becoming VP of Randy’s, he and Jim set out to start their own in California.

Their business would be one of a kind, as the store handled manufacturing in the back and retailing in the front, eliminating the middleman and delivering customers with shoes right off the factory line. In that factory, the Van Doren brothers crafted Style #44, which we know today as the Vans Authentic, with a vulcanized rubber outsole in their quintessential waffle pattern, durable canvas uppers and thick cut midsoles. From there, the Vans brand was established.

The Skater’s Choice

When the Van Doren brothers got their signature models in order, it was all about getting them out to the public. Initially, the store had a few people come in and out, with, as stated on Vans’ site, only “12 customers purchasing shoes” on the first day the shop opened. But what helped catapult the brand to a larger platform was California’s growing skateboarding culture.

In an exclusive interview with StockX, we chatted with Vans’ head of design, Rian Pozzebon, to learn more about the sneaker’s growing popularity. “From the early beginnings of skateboarding, Vans and skateboarding built an honest relationship,” says Pozzebon. “Vans’ early relationship with these communities kept them connected throughout their growth and in their awareness around the world. You can’t think about skateboarding without Vans shoes.” These early relationships that Vans established with skaters was birthed from the shoe’s reliability. Californian skateboarding legends Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta and their Zephyr skate team in 1975 wore the shoes as part of their uniform for the Del Mar National Skateboarding Contest, bringing the shoes in front of a larger audience and letting people know that Vans are ideal for the California skater. After that, the sneakers started popping up even more within California, as riders set out customizing their own pairs with checkerboard prints and wearing out their kicks until the soles tore. Vans were becoming more of a West Coast staple.

Worldwide Recognition

Today, the Van Doren’s first factory/store isn’t the only place to scoop a pair of Vans sneakers. The memorable white striped model can be found at stores around the world, spanning the brand’s reach to many different walks of life. Continuing our conversation with Rian Pozzeban, he says the thing that has helped Vans achieve worldly recognition is how it embraced creativity and individuality. “Since its beginning, the brand was always more than just a skateboarding brand and continues to enable creative expression through building and partnering” says Pozzeban. Vans’ influence reaches far beyond its original skateboarding niche, as the brand collaborates with fashion designers Rhuigi Villasenor of Rhude and Jerry Lorenzo of Fear of God, artists KAWS and Damian Hirst, and musicians Public Enemy and David Bowie just to name a few. Despite gaining worldwide recognition, the multifaceted brand remains a West Coast namesake through and through. From opening its first shop on California soil, to building notoriety within SoCal skate culture, Vans established foundation within the state is unmistakable.