Rick Griffin Vans Footwear
You may recall that Victor Kiam was so impressed with his Remington electric shaver that he "bought the company". Well, I was so impressed with new Vans range
of footwear featuring Rick Griffin artwork that I made a new page!
Here's what Vans have got to say on their latest range: "This summer (2009), Vans celebrates Rick Griffin with six different shoes and two tees featuring Rick's legendary artwork, including a Classic Slip-On, Authentic, Sk8-Hi Lx, Mid Skool '77 and two different Old Skool 77 Lx's. The shoes feature Rick's awesome designs etched on the tongue, heel and collar, as well as on the insole and sole."
The response from the youth is pretty positive. Comments along the lines of "one of the best vans i’ve seen, ever!" and "wo0a! this collab is fire! Vans is coming hard for 09!" would suggest that Vans have got another winning line on their hands. It's good to see that Rick's designs are still relevant to a new generation of subversives (and their dads).
Personally speaking, I've been waiting for a decent Hi-Top shoe (or "dap" as they're known in Bristol) for a while now. My trusty Converse All Star Hi-Tops contracted Trainer Ebola several years ago and began decomposing from the inside out. Surely twelve years service isn't too much to expect from a casual shoe? Anyway, now I've got a pair of Vans Rick Griffin Sk8 Hi Lxs (thanks Adriana), and I'm happy. Only time will tell how resilient they are but I can confirm that they're well made, comfortable and pretty damn cool.
Rick Griffin Vans are available from July 2009, with prices ranging from $52 for the Classic Slip-On to $90 for the Sk8 Hi Lx. Whilst the Classic Slip-On and Authentic shoes are part of the standard Vans range, the Sk8 Hi Lx, Mid Skool 77 Lx and Old Skool 77 Lx are limited edition and possibly destined to become collectables. The shoes are complemented by two Rick Griffin T-shirt designs. Full details should be available over on the Vans Website, but I'll be rogered with a county show winning marrow if I can find anything.
I was hoping to be able to bring you some background info on the story behind Rick Griffin Vans but nothing materialised and now the excitement storm has passed. Here are some images to feast your eyes on. As usual, click an image to enlarge...
