Over the past few years, more artists have begun to expand their empires by way of shoe collaborations. Whether it be Travis Scott and Nike or Kanye West and Adidas, kicks culture and music have always been a fruitful pairing.
However, the most important aspect of these partnerships are the brand overlap with the artist’s aesthetic. This is what makes Vans and Anderson .Paak‘s newfound collaboration so harmonious.
On June 1, the skating, leisure apparel and shoe brand announced their upcoming collection with Anderson .Paak, set to release for retail sale on June 24. The collection will include a short sleeve “Vanderson” T-shirt, straight-leg flared pants, a jacket with a front pocket, reversible bucket hat, robe and, of course, multiple different styles of sneakers.
.Paak took to Instagram to explain how he and Vans have been working on this for two years, putting his “heart and soul” into the curation of the collection. In a formal statement released by Vans, .Paak continued this sentiment — saying it was the best collection he’s put out to date.
“Vans was super patient with me on this one. We met every week in Malibu and designed these shoes in the California sunshine. This is my best drop yet and I’m so proud of what we’ve come up with!”
Anderson .Paak
This isn’t the first time .Paak and Vans have come together. In 2019, Vans invited him to perform his Ventura hit “King James” and Oxnard cut “6 Summers” for their “Sidestride Sessions.” In 2020, they hosted their “Vans Musicians Wanted” competition, which would see the winner perform a set with .Paak.
Aside from this, though, .Paak’s prior shoe releases with Vans have both been successful. The multi-colored Old Skool DX “Venice” kicks and the black Sid DX “Malibu” pair christened his new deal to become the first Global Music Ambassador for Vans. Their second collection included a purple corduroy “Soulito” look and a purple, yellow and blue suede “Ziti” sneaker.
When speaking about the upcoming collection, Vans’ Director of Global Music Marketing Tierney Stout echoed the company’s excitement and love they have for Anderson, his charisma and talent.
“We are beyond excited to continue this creative journey with AP into this next product collaboration. Anderson was incredibly hands-on in the design and development of every piece in this collection and the final product is both a labor of love for AP and the Vans team. Anderson embodies everything this brand stands for –– authenticity, optimistic imagination, and creativity –– and we are honored to have him as part of our family.”
Tierney Stout, Vans’ Director of Globak Music Marketinh
Along with the upcoming clothing and shoe drop, Anderson will also participate in a “House of Vans” performance on June 27 in London. The Vans X Anderon .Paak collection officially releases online on June 24.
More Anderson .Paak below!
