History of the Vans brand
What is the whole story behind the legendary Vans brand and shoes? The brand now known as Vans was originally founded under the name Van Doren Rubber Company in 1966. Born from humble beginnings in Anaheim, California. Brothers Paul and James Van Doren and his friends were interested in providing footwear to California customers without wholesaling to retailers. They differed from the competition precisely because the shoes could be bought almost directly from the factory. Their first model was the Vans Authentic, which is now known all over the world.
They relied on a simple shoe construction with an identical canvas upper. Men's models were selling for $4.49 at the time, and since the brothers were only making show models, when purchased, the sneakers were made the same day and picked up the same evening. They opened more and more stores at lightning speed, with Paul able to open a new store every week. In 1979, 70 stores were opened in the United States and they expanded to the international market. Despite this quick strategy, the business model was moderately successful at best. For the first 10 years, the company was barely afloat.
After receiving complaints from customers about the midsole cracking, Vans today introduces the iconic patented waffle rubber sole for improved durability. It quickly became clear that the shoes are suitable for skateboarding, and in 1976 the first special collection of skateboarding shoes was created, the look and functionality of which were created by skaters - Tony Alva and Stacey Peralta. Models suitable for BMX and later also for basketball were also created.
The now famous Era model was launched in 1976, featuring a padded ankle collar, waffle outsole and the company's famous "Off the Wall" logo. This slogan comes from the co-founder's remark "man you just fell off the wall" and eventually found its way into the logo. In 1977, the company released a model known as the Old Skool, which featured leather panels for added durability. In the same year, Vans introduced the iconic model known as the Classic Slip-On. In 1978, the brand released the SK8-Hi model, which is revolutionary higher than their previous sneakers that protect the ankles.
In 1984, the brand declared bankruptcy despite its growing popularity. The company enters the stock market and acquires new investors, who this time are supposed to prevent further mistakes in the area of investments. Vans emerges from decline and experiences tremendous growth in the 1990s. Since 2000, Vans has been named one of America's Best Small Businesses by Forbes. In 2004, Vans launched Vans Customs - allowing online shopping for hundreds of color and pattern combinations of different models - essentially an online version of what the Van Doren brothers have been offering since the beginning.
In 2008, Vans significantly accelerated its international expansion, including distribution to India, Mexico and Shanghai. It gradually reaches almost the whole world and becomes a necessary street fashion commodity. Today, Vans is a major player in footwear alongside Nike, adidas and so on. After all, these shoes are worn by almost everyone, have a cultural legacy, are high quality, affordable, and the details are absolutely iconic. You can easily match them with any outfit. Once you break them in, they adapt perfectly to your foot and last a long time. Today, you can also find stylish clothes and accessories in their assortment.
