The convergence of old school and new school is not always a seamless one, but in the world of skateboarding — where pioneers are respected by the new school and young guns are encouraged to keep pushing the boundaries by the old school — a shared love and mutual respect keeps the bond strong.
Now, Vans is saluting the bonds that hold generations of skate culture together (and their own legacy in the space) with a “Old Meets Knu” initiative that spotlights both the classic Old Skool and the just-rereleased Knu Skool, debuting with an accompanying lookbook shot by Ed Templeton and styled by Veneda Carter that features OG Tony Alva alongside rising star Breana Geering.
One of the most famous skate shoes of all time, the Old Skool was released all the way back in 1977, and was Vans’ third-ever shoe after the Authentic and the Era. Since then it’s become both a skate staple and a cultural icon. The Knu Skool, initially created in 1997, takes the Old Skool’s classic build and super-sizes it through a puffy tongue, outsized upper and three-dimensional Jazz Stripe, all while retaining its sleek midsole and vulcanized outsole. The lookbook shows a classic “True White” color of the Old Skool alongside a new “Retro Brown/True White” take on the Knu Skool, complete with hot pink laces.
Both pairs are available now via the Vans webstore, and you can expect further “Old Meets Knu” drops to go down over the course of the spring season.
