On Wednesday, Vans will turn the big 5-0. That’s right: the sneaker of choice for the young at heart is solidly middle-aged. What’s its secret for looking fresh as ever, you ask? “People have long sought out Vans for many reasons,” says Steve Van Doren, 60, the brand’s vice president of events and promotions. “The great functionality for skateboarding, the ability to use the shoes as a canvas for art or to wear to a concert.” Founded by Van Doren’s father, Paul, and three business partners, the company opened its first retail store in Anaheim, Calif., in 1966. By the mid-’70s, the kicks were en route to cult status, appealing first to SoCal skateboarders — who coveted the brand’s signature, traction-providing waffle soles — and then to practically everyone who saw Amy Heckerling’s 1982 classic “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” “Everyone around the world knew what Vans were after that film,” says Van Doren of the era-defining movie, starring Sean Penn as Jeff Spicoli, a stoner and surfer who wears a certain pair of checkerboard slip-ons. In the decades since, the company’s footwear has become a cultural mainstay. Although collaborations are frequent and customization has been a popular component since the beginning, the core lineup remains the same. Here, Van Doren walks through the origins of Vans’ most iconic shoes.
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