If you fawn over clothing that looks deconstructed, abstract, or otherwise a bit off, then you're going to love Vans' "Inside Out" sneaker pack. The streetwear brand just released photos of all of the new sneaker styles within the collection and as its name suggests, they each look like like their insides have been flipped out. Sound weird? It is, but in the coolest, most cleverly executed way.
Growing up, how many times did your parents or grandparents express disbelief when you bought distressed or frayed jeans? "You're paying how much for jeans with holes in them?!" my Popop would always ask me exasperatedly when he saw me wearing my beloved shredded denim. Thinking back on it, I've concluded that intentionally distressed clothing is somewhat of a generational phenomenon. As my Popop used to explain, anyone who grew up with parents that lived through the Great Depression (or anyone who lived through financially tough times, period) were taught to conserve, preserve, and reserve—shredding your clothes and therefore shortening their lifespan was simply not something one did.
For us younger generation, or at least those of us who grew up in middle or upper class households, we see distressing and deconstruction as a cool design detail and a way to add intrigue to a piece, which is why we adore pieces that our elders hate. This new Vans pack, for example, would make my Popop cringe.
It includes three of Vans' classic silhouettes but each has been given an unconventional makeover. There's the low top lace-up silhouette, the high top lace-up silhouette, and the slip-on but rather than boasting the classic Vans look we know and love, each is wildly different both in structure and design. They're meant to look as if they've been flipped inside out, with exposed stitching, patchy materials, new textiles, and off-center labels puzzle pieced together. If Dr. Frankenstein had designed a shoe rather than a monster I'd imagine it would looks like one of the styles in this pack. And I mean that as a total compliment.
The first color way includes Vans' signature black and white check print on the inside of each shoe, a blue accent line running along the bumpers, and a cream colored outer. The shoes appear to boast suede and woven finishes and are a cool take on the classic white sneaker.
Next up is a classic black and white color way. The shoes look very similar to Vans' most loved styles, except for the exposed stitching and misaligned fabrics that give them that inside out effect.
The brightest and most sunny of the color ways reminds me of strawberry lemonade thanks to their sunny yellow and blush pink colors. Yellow checkers and pink suede give them a sort of retro feel, while white laces and black zipper details add some nice contrast. Most easily noticeable on this shoe are the misplaced "Vans" logos, which sit on the insides and outsides of the shoes' bumpers rather than smack dab in the center on the back.
Finally, there's the navy and royal blue color way, which mimics the pink lemonade version just with different hues.
Each pair has a grungy coolness to it that only Vans could execute so expertly, although, as Hypebae points out, "The standout design accents have been compared to Virgil Abloh‘s ongoing Nike collaboration." Great minds think alike!
As the pack is part of Vans' Fall/Winter 2018 offering, the collection isn't currently available to shop online or in stores. No official drop date has been released yet either, so keep your eyes peeled in order to get in on the action. Sorry, Popop, this is another less-than-perfect fashion release that I'm definitely going to need to get in on.
