Vans OTW Collection | Action Sports, Art, Music, Design, and Authentic Street Fashion

Kids These Days - "Flashing Lights"

We're really digging this rework of Kanye West's "Flashing Lights" by Kids These Days. The Chicago collective lifts the chorus from the 2007 track, drops in their original verses in between and puts it all on top of a live band instrumental.

Labels: flashing lights, kanye west, kids these days, Music Video

This is Dirt Quake! via Sideburn Magazine

Check out this video recap of Dirt Quake via Sideburn Mag! Dimitri took part in this competition last month and can be seen throughout this 8-minute clip rippin' sh*t up in his BSA.

Labels: dimitri coste, dirt quake, Sideburn Magazine, vans otw advocates

The Many Talents of Kate Upton

Besides being pretty good at doing the "Cat Daddy" and the "Dougie" Kate Upton has got a few more talents as illustrated in the latest video by Terry Richardson. Take a look at short clip to see Kate run on the beach, skateboard, shoot hoops and a few other specialties. Check it out at GQ.

Labels: blondes, california, girls, kate upton, terry richardson, via Y.S., video

Vans OTW Presents Advocate Dimitri Coste

For this installment of Offthewall.tv's interview series with Vans' current OTW Advocates, we catch up with jack of all trades, Dimitri Coste. The photographer, artist, motorcycle and BMX enthusiast discusses his love for vintage camera gear, classic motorcycles, and why he loves meeting the people he photographs. Coste continues to inspire Vans designers in creating footwear that gets you going to living the good life. You can catch a glimpse of Coste wearing the new Brenton Hi out this July and he'll soon be sporting the Piercy in Saddle Brown.

Labels: dimitri coste, offthewall.tv, Vans Otw, vans otw advocates, video interview

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Alcon (July Releases)

Our deconstructed Alomar, the Vans OTW Alcon, expands its offerings with a duo of new colorways to round out its Fall 2012 debut. The slimmed-down, narrowed-up update to our Chukka-styled high top introduces (Camo) Rock and (Work Boot) Brown styles set for release this July. Check 'em out below:

(Camo) Rock

(Work Boot) Brown

Labels: alcon, fall 2012, sneakers, vans otw collection

Conor Harrington's Works at Fame Festival

London-based artist Conor Harrington kicked off the 2012 FAME Festival in Italy with some quite amazing street pieces. Harrington's graffiti works are a mix of classic painting style with some pop colors and elegant brush strokes work out quite nicely on the old buildings in the city of Grottaglie where the festival takes place. Peep more images beyond the fold.

Vans OTW Alomar Fall 2012: The Alomar (July Releases)

One of our collection's original silhouettes, the Vans OTW Alomar, builds upon its legacy with a duo of new colorways for Fall 2012. The high-top extension of the Classic Chukka Boot finishes off the season with (Washed Suede) Blues and Mocha Bisque offerings available this July at OTW retailers worldwide.
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Labels: alomar, fall 2012, sneakers, vans otw collection

David LaChapelle - Seismic Shift, La Brea Tar Pits

Over at Art HK fair photographer David LaChapelle presented his latest photograph "Seismic Shift, La Brea Tar Pits" - the gigantic photo measured 10 by 4 feet depicting an instantly recognizable mash up of contemporary art from such artists as Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Yue Minjun, Barbara Kruger, Andy Warhol and Andreas Gursky set in the decaying stylized version of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art building. Take a closer look at the work after the fold.

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Ludlow

The Vans OTW Ludlow makes its Fall 2012 mark with a trio of new colorways arriving this July in (Camo) Rock, (Tweed) Black and Brown/Blues variations. The classic wino style is modernized and refined with this updated silhouette featuring a sophisticated yet simple design, premium detailing and deluxe upper materials stacked on an EVA midsole and slim stitch-down cupsole for all-day comfort. Get a closer look after the jump!
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Labels: fall 2012, Ludlow, sneakers, vans otw collection

Kicks x Art: Haroshi's Half Cab

Haroshi's work never fails to amaze me. His sculptures are beautiful and his method is unique - he uses discarded skateboards to build his pieces. The Tokyo-based artist debuted his new work for the Jonathan LeVine Gallery program at SCOPE-Basel last week. For Foot with Invisible Shoe, the skateboard sculptor created foot art grounded in transparent skate kicks with the almighty Half Cab making an appearance in the series. Steve Caballero's creation has been dominating the shoe game for over 20 years and serves as the inspiration for OTW's Piercy and Bedford models. Wise choice Haroshi! Check out the rest of Foot with Invisible Shoes at Looking Sideways.

Labels: foot with invisible shoe, half cab, haroshi, scope basel, skateboard art

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Howell

OTW's play on the ever-popular desert boot style, the Howell, presents two new editions for Fall 2012. High-end (Knit Wool) Brown and (Tweed) Black designs are grounded on a slim faux-heeled cupsole for this duo of offerings. Both colorways of the Vans OTW Howell ship to retailers this July.
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Labels: fall 2012, howell, sneakers, vans otw collection

Pre-Mortem One-Liners in Film

Everybody's favorite movie one-liners like "Say Hello to my little friend", "Hasta la vista, baby" "This Is Sparta" and many more were put in this amazing video compilation, enjoy!

Labels: arnold schwarzenegger, clever steez, Comedy, Film, via Y.S.

Vans OTW Presents Advocate Chris Kong

For this installment of Offthewall.tv's interview series with Vans OTW Advocates, we head to Hong Kong to catch up with designer, artist and business man Chris Kong to get a deeper look into what inspires one of today's most legendary toy designers. The Made by Monsters/Garageworks Industries owner joined the Vans OTW Advocate team in January 2012 alongside creative forces Lupe Fiasco, Eric Elms and Dimitri Coste. He can be seen wearing the Alcon, Alomar and OTW Washburn Backpack as he treks the globe discovering his inspiration and new ways of creating his art and designs.

Labels: chris kong, garageworks industries, hong kong, interview, made by monsters, offthewall.tv, vans otw advocates, video interview

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Breton Lo & Hi

The Breton Lo and Hi debut in the Vans OTW Collection this July for the Fall 2012 season. We built the Breton Boot to withstand any weather thrown at it. We've partnered with Vibram to supply the outsoles for maximum wear and grip in any condition. The upper shape, materials and colors chosen for this boot offer a slightly more sophisticated look. The Breton Hi makes its first appearance in two colorways, (Wax Canvas) Brown and (Ballistic) Black, alongside with the (Tweed) Bungee offering in the Breton Lo. Check 'em all out after the jump!
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Labels: boots, breton boot, breton hi, breton lo, fall 2012, sneakers, vans otw collection

Photo Recap: Patrick Martinez "Lovely Day"

Patrick Martinez's new solo show "Lovely Day" opened last Saturday at Known Gallery on Fairfax. For his latest Martinez went the mix media route with the works; bringing the signature neon signs this time in destroyed form, large scale painting, screen printed embroidered plush quilts and photography. Here is what he had to say about his new work: “It's crazy to me that I wake up to beautiful days here in L.A., but they are juxtaposed with the ‘evil’ things that happen in this sublime city. That’s the inspiration for the show.” The show runs until June 30th.

Patrick Martinez

Via SNAV: Dum English Launch & Fan Signing

I recently went to the launch of the Dum English toys at the world famous Toy Tokyo in NYC. This event combined two different cultures – a celebrity entertainer and a legendary artist. This type of star power had the line growing rapidly.
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Labels: Chris Brown, chris kong, dum english, fan signing, made by monsters, New York, ron english, toy tokyo

100 Plus Ways to Open a Bottle of Beer

Chris Sumers has made a quite amusing video compilation of multiple methods of opening a beer bottle. The guys are utilizing things like slices of pizza, knives, drills, wheelchairs, rakes and machetes to perform the wholly satisfying art of opening a bottle of beer. Experiment at your own risk.

Labels: Beer, clever steez, Comedy, experiment, via Y.S., video

Interview with Hanni El Khatib

Our good friend and extremely talented musician Hanni El Khatib spared a few minutes from his busy touring schedule to sit down with us for an interview. He shed some light on what it's like to be on tour, leaving his job an art director of HUF to pursue music career, state of modern music business and a whole lot more. A San Francisco native Hanni El Khatib has been enjoying success and recognition in US and Europe as well as landing his music on variety of TV Shows and films.

YS: What are your musical influences and how did they help shape your own musical style and how did you start?

Hanni El Khatib: I'm influenced by a lot of different types of music. It really varies depending on the mood i'm in. I listen to everything from The Cramps, The Sonics, Billy Childish, Black Sabbath, Captain Beefheart, The Stooges, The Talking Heads, I mean the list could really go on and on for me. Good music is good music and i try to be open to it all. I also get really into specific eras of music and really try to examine what was going on in the different music scenes during certain time frames. Fortunately with the resurgence of vinyl these days it's becoming a little bit easier to discover some of the more obscure stuff out there.

YS: What was it like to transition from being an art director of HUF to be a touring / recording artist?

HEK: The transition was pretty smooth and happened pretty gradually. I had already been playing tons of shows and doing little 2 week tours here and there while i was working over there. So it didn't feel much different when i parted ways.

Throwback Thursday: Apple Apparel Collection

This week Apple made headlines when it unveiled the next generation of the MacBook Pro. With its new Retina display, condensed width and weight and other upgraded technical specs, the new series has all of the bells and whistles you could wish for. Apple makes some of the best computers on the Earth but did you know they dabbled in apparel production once? The year 1986 marked the release of "The Apple Apparel Collection" featuring tees, polos, button-ups and more for men, women and children. The line didn't last too long and never made it to '90s. Not going to lie, these designs look like they would be all over the streets these days, no? Get a closer look at the collection at Complex.

Labels: apple, apple apparel, throwback, throwback thursday

Via SNAV: A Night with a Monster

I got a chance to hook up with OTW Advocate Chris Kong. I linked up with Chris at the launch event for the Dum English release. Dum English is a collaboration project between Ron English, Chris Brown and Chris Kong. The event was at the Opera Gallery in NYC. There were some beautiful paintings from Ron English on display.
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Labels: Chris Brown, chris kong, Dee and Ricky, dj khaled, dum english, made by monsters, New York, opera gallery, ron english, vans otw advocates

Vans OTW Presents Advocate Eric Elms

This new video from Vans OTW Collection and OffTheWall.TV takes us to the beautiful landscape of Reykjavík, Iceland where veteran Advocate Eric Elms gives us a look into his work life while printing his limited edition AndPress book I'M YOURS TO KEEP by Todd Cole.

Labels: advocate, and press, andpress, eric elms, iceland, im yours to keep, offthewall.tv, todd cole, vans otw advocates

Wheels and Waves Featuring Dimitri Coste

For the next "Most Interesting Man in the World" Dos Equis campaign, I nominate Dimitri Coste. Dimitri is that guy, his interests have been continually pursued to the max - film, photography, bikes, fashion - Coste is one of few to move beyond a jack of all trades mindset to a master of his varied passions. This Friday, June 15, our Parisian OTW Advocate showcases his work in the artists exhibition opening of the Wheels and Waves weekend in Biarritz, France. Get more info about the event at W&W's official site.

Labels: art exhibition, biarritz, dimitri coste, france, vans otw advocates, wheels and waves

Dum English x Made By Monsters Signing at Toy Tokyo

Dum English kicks off their East Coast launch tomorrow with a special signing with Chris Brown and Ron English. at Toy Tokyo in New York. The pop star teams up with popagandist to celebrate Brown's vinyl toy line with fans. Brown and English worked closely with Vans OTW Advocate Chris Kong and his label Made by Monsters to bring the first run of Skull Astronauts to life. The signing starts at 4pm and runs until 6, so get there early!

Toy Tokyo is located at 91 2nd Ave., New York, NY 10003.

Labels: Chris Brown, chris kong, collaboration toy, dum english, made by monsters, New York, ron english, toy tokyo, vans otw advocates, vinyl figures

Photo Recap: "Motion: The Art of Movement" Group Exhibition

LA's Corey Helfrod Gallery held an opening for "Motion: The Art of Movement" group exhibition this past weekend. The show features the works of HUSH, Korin Faught, Alex Gross, Coop, Sylvia Ji, Ray Caesar, Eric Joyner and many more. A wide array of works depicts people in motion, design in motion, and nature in motion. Each piece brings artist's own interpretation of the show's subject creating a diverse and unique selection of art.

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Ludlow Decon

The deconstructed version of the Ludlow, the Vans OTW Ludlow Decon, was a hit last season so we're bringing it back for another run. We've slimmed down the original design by removing lining materials and binding while stacking it on top of a molded polyurethane insole and stitched-down cupsole for an all-day comfortable feel. Fall 2012 offers a two pack of the model with (Washed Suede) Black and (Washed Suede) Bungee variations hitting retailers this month. Get a closer look after the jump!
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Labels: fall 2012, ludlow decon, sneakers, Vans Otw, vans otw collection

Via SNAV: 5th Annual Roots Picnic

Bigger than a picnic, it was that time again. Every year around this time the Roots throw a picnic. Its not just a regular picnic with a basket and some card games, it’s a full out concert and festival. The day was filling up very fast. The backstage area was a who’s who of the music industry. The Roots gave out free soul food to everybody that was backstage. Im talking about good food like catfish and greens. They know how to do it big, real big.
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Labels: 5th annual roots picnic, de la soul, diplo, mos def, Philadelphia, SNAV, The Roots, via SNAV, yasiin bey

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Cypress

The Vans OTW Cypress debuts this fall! The Cypress is a modern approach to an athletic-inspired low top. Focused on sophistricated simplicity and premium detailing, this design is rounded off with a stitch-down OTW specific cupsole. The Vans OTW Cypress ships this month to retailers in three colorways: (Heavy Wax) Bungee, (Rebound) White and (Wool) Black. Check 'em all out after the jump!
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Labels: cypress, fall 2012, sneakers, Vans Otw, vans otw collection

Photo Recap: Mister Cartoon Meet & Greet/Custom Install at Millennium Shoes for Vans OTW

Last night, Mister Cartoon created a custom Vans OTW art installation for Millennium Shoes. Cartoon rolled deep with his Sanctiond crew and spray cans to bring his signature West Coast imagery to the walls of Millennium. Early birds were able to meet Cartoon, get copies of Art of Lettering and even snagged some free Tire Glaze samples from his automotive car care line. Monster Energy LA and Dub Magazine were also on hand giving out free swag and the legendary DJ Revolution supplied tunes for the night. Check out the whole night after the jump!

Millennium Shoes is located at 234 West Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90301

Wes Anderson Bingo!

Wes Andrerson is an amazing director and all of his films are immediately recognized thanks to his reoccurring signature themes and elements that create "the Anderson magic" so why not play Wes Anderson Bingo! The idea is very simple first follow the link to get your randomly generated Bingo board then watch your favorite Wes Anderson film, and whenever you spot one of the trademarks listed on your board, click that square to place a special Wes Anderson chip, simple as that. Enjoy!

Labels: bill murray, clever steez, Comedy, diy, Film, via Y.S., Wes Anderson

Vans OTW Presents Advocate Lupe Fiasco

Lupe Fiasco has never been one to shy away from a challenge as he constantly pushes himself to stay progressive and break barriers with his music. As an artist, he lives to perform and is always searching for the simplest way to express his complex ideas. In this Advocate spotlight video from the Vans OTW Collection and OffTheWall.TV, Fiasco opens up about his dedication to his craft, his connection to his fans, and achieving his "perfect moment" on stage.

Labels: advocate project, lupe fiasco, offthewall.tv, Vans Otw, vans otw advocates, vans otw collection

Short Films by Richard Phillips starring Lindsay Lohan

Artist Richard Phillips continues to work with Lindsay Lohan as a starring actress in his new short film "First Point" which is set to premier at Art Unlimited 2012. Phillips insists that Lohan is his "collaborator not a muse" so take it as you like. "First Point" is a joint effort with acclaimed surf filmmaker Taylor Steele, the professional surfer Kassia Meador who performs as Lohan’s body double and Thomas Bangalter of french electro duo Daft Punk on the soundtrack. Peep the trailer for "First Point" above and watch last years short film simply titled "Lindsay Lohan" bellow.

Labels: art unlimited, Lindsay Lohan, miami, Richard Phillips, short film, Surf, via Y.S.

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Woessner

The Vans OTW Woessner makes its way to the Fall 2012 line with a three pack! New colorways ship this month and include: (Wool Twill) Black, (Wool Heather) Green and (Ballistic) Black designs. The Woessner takes styling cues from our low top Classics and modernizes our iconic look with a slimmer shape, vulc wrap detailing and molded waffle tread outsole for a tie back to Vans heritage. Lightweight and supported by a comfy EVA midsole, the Vans OTW Woessner is ready for all day use. Check out the new colorways after the jump!
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Labels: fall 2012, sneakers, Vans Otw, vans otw collection, Woessner

Vans OTW & Millenium Shoes Present: Mister Cartoon

This Wednesday Vans OTW and Mister Cartoon take over Millennium Shoes in Inglewood, CA to create a custom piece for the shop. Come through, meet the former OTW Advocate and watch him create a one-of-a-kind mural. DJ Revolution will be on the 1s and 2s and did I also mention open bar for 21 and over?! The Monster Energy girls and Dub Magazine will also be on the scene with lots of free stuff! Come one, come all this Wednesday, June 6 at Millennium Shoes located at 234 W. Manchester Blvd. in Inglewood, CA. The party starts at 6pm and runs 'til 9 so be there or be square.

Make sure to RSVP at: events@millenniumshoes.com

Labels: dj revolution, dub magazine, millennium shoes, mister cartoon, monster energy, mural, street art, Vans Otw

Video Game Inspired Movie Posters

Graphic designer Ron Guyatt has created a quite interesting series of video game inspired movie posters ranging from old school favorites like Zelda and Tetris to more contemporary current generation favorites such as Halo, Fallout and Skyrim. While the concept is not new by any means it's the execution of the works, knowledge and attention to details makes it a worthy look. Peep more posters beyond the fold...

Friday, June 29, 2012

Kids These Days - "Flashing Lights"

Thursday, June 28, 2012

This is Dirt Quake! via Sideburn Magazine

The Many Talents of Kate Upton

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Vans OTW Presents Advocate Dimitri Coste

Monday, June 25, 2012

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Alcon (July Releases)

Conor Harrington's Works at Fame Festival

Friday, June 22, 2012

Vans OTW Alomar Fall 2012: The Alomar (July Releases)

David LaChapelle - Seismic Shift, La Brea Tar Pits

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Ludlow

Kicks x Art: Haroshi's Half Cab

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Howell

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Pre-Mortem One-Liners in Film

Vans OTW Presents Advocate Chris Kong

Monday, June 18, 2012

Vans OTW Collection Fall 2012: The Breton Lo & Hi

Photo Recap: Patrick Martinez "Lovely Day"

Friday, June 15, 2012

Via SNAV: Dum English Launch & Fan Signing

100 Plus Ways to Open a Bottle of Beer

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Interview with Hanni El Khatib

Throwback Thursday: Apple Apparel Collection

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Via SNAV: A Night with a Monster

Vans OTW Presents Advocate Eric Elms

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Wheels and Waves Featuring Dimitri Coste

Monday, June 11, 2012