What is the appeal of the timeless classic “Classic Slip-On” sneaker that sparked the popularity of Vans?

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What is the appeal of the timeless classic "Classic Slip-On" sneaker that sparked the popularity of Vans?

Vans” are famous as iconic shoes of street culture such as skaters and BMX. The brand continues to be loved by many people, especially skaters, for its retro design that has never changed over the years and functionality that is useful in street sports. This time, we focus on the “CLASSIC SLIP-ON,” the representative model that ignited the popularity of Vans. We will introduce the features and recommended models of the CLASSIC SLIP-ON along with the history of Vans!

Vans “, a brand that boasts a huge following among skaters

Vans was founded in Anaheim, California, U.S.A., in 1966 by Paul Van Doren and his friends. The brand name “Vans” means “Van and his friends. In 2016, the brand celebrated its 50th anniversary, participated in art projects, and released many collaborative models. It is a popular sneaker brand that continues to reign supreme as the most popular skateboarding shoes in the world.

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Vans started from a custom-made store.

Founded in 1966, Vans was originally a custom-made store. In the late 1970s, skaters began to talk about Vans sneakers because of their high grip and stability on skateboards. In the late 1970s, the “CLASSIC SLIP-ON,” the focus of this report, became the rage among skaters in Southern California. The brand grew rapidly and expanded its business, but then Paul Van Doren, the founder of the company, retired from the business, and various other factors led to the company falling into a crisis of bankruptcy. Paul Van Doren returned to Vans and told the employees that they might not be able to get a raise for three years and that he would cut costs without lowering the quality of the shoes.

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Today, Vans is “the world’s largest skate company,” and in 1998 opened the first Vans skate park in California. The sneaker brand continues to take on new challenges, including the development of a new line of snowboard boots, even after overcoming serious difficulties.

What does Vans’ catchphrase “OFF THE WALL” mean?

Vans’ catchphrase is “OFF THE WALL. The literal translation of the phrase is “off the wall,” but it is actually a slang term coined by the “Zephyr,” a skate team from a surf store in California. Tony Alba, a member of the Zephyr skateboarding team, performed a skateboarding trick that only he could do, and called it “OFF THE WALL” in the sense of “someone who breaks the mold. The slang was born when Tony Aruba called him “off the wall,” meaning “an unconventional person. The slogan “OFF THE WALL” was adopted as Vans’ catchphrase because Tony Alba was wearing Vans at the time, and Vans’ custom-made production method was unprecedented and unconventional.

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The traditional “vulcanized manufacturing method” used for Vans sneakers

The vulcanized manufacturing method is a method of gluing the soles of sneakers. It is a very old manufacturing method in the history of sneakers, and is used not only by Vans, but also by Converse’s Chuck Taylor (the prototype of the current All Star) and Moonstar sneakers. In this process, rubber is placed between the body of the sneaker and the sole and bonded under pressure at high temperatures. The rubber is then cured and crimped to form a strong bond between the different materials of the rubber and the body, resulting in a flexible sole that does not peel easily. In addition, rubber tape is wrapped around the boundary of the crimped area to reinforce the adhesion and increase the degree of adhesion. The sturdy construction can withstand lateral and diagonal movements, a functionality that is useful in street sports such as skateboarding. The design features a retro texture and low-tech feel, and is also popular for its old-school mood. Vans shoes, which use the vulcanized manufacturing method to achieve a classic atmosphere and durable, peel-resistant soles, are useful not only for skateboarding, but also for town use.

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The outsole used in Vans sneakers is a waffle sole with high grip.

Vans sneakers use an outsole called a ” waffle sole. As the name suggests, it features a tread pattern processed in the shape of a waffle, and the grid-like sole provides a high level of grip. It is no exaggeration to say that this high gripping power attracted many skaters and increased the fame of Vans, and it is an essential detail of Vans sneakers.

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