by Karla Stevens
 Hello fashionistas and fans! It was pretty hard not to cringe last night during Harbor High's kick-off carnival when Seth struggles to leap off the hot dog stand and gets caught by Summer? But it was smack dab in the middle of Seth professing his undying love that I noticed his Vans. He is certainly an upstanding California guy. And his choice of footwear is right on the mark.
The Vans Company was born in...where else, The O.C., and it turns out that the members of two major bands from Orange County-No Doubt and Bad Religion all love their Vans. The brand certainly attracts an eclectic crowd-from Jude Law to Jack Black to the Osbourne kids. And then there's Black Eyed Peas, Ashlee Simpson and Gwen Stefani who are spotted all the time in them.
Some 40 years ago, in 1966, Paul Van Doren and three partners opened the store at 704 E.Broadway in Anaheim, California. On that first morning, twelve customers purchased shoes which were made that day and ready for pick-up that afternoon. Vans became a huge hit with boarders because of the rough make-up and sticky rubbery sole.
Chris Overholler, from the Vans Company, was nice enough to give me a shout back, on his way to a BMX bike convention in Vegas. I asked him to weigh in on Seth's favorite sneaker-the old skool, classic. "That shoe is all the rage with celebrities, musicians and the like," he explains.
Vans certainly epitomize the Southern California lifestyle of surfing and skating, but that's not the only cool thing that Vans is involved with. How about the Vans Warped Tour, the nation's leading action sports and music festival? Or the Vans Triple Crown series?
My guess is you'll be seeing a lot more of The Vans and I have an inkling that you'll start seeing them worn along with Prada and Chanel. The buzz on the street is that they are all the rage in Paris and they're wearing them with suits, skirts and dresses. If you're interested in going the one-of-a-kind route, how about creating your own pair of Vans. The company just introduced the Custom line, so check it out on www.Vans.com. |
