Off The Wall: The History Of Vans

Vans wasn't built for skateboarding. It was built as a direct-to-customer shoe stall in Anaheim in 1966, and skateboarding simply found it first — a shoe that's now as much a menswear staple as a skate staple.

Born In Anaheim, 1966

Paul and Jim Van Doren opened The Van Doren Rubber Company at 704 East Broadway on March 16, 1966, with an idea that ran against how the shoe trade worked at the time: make the shoes on site, sell them straight to the person wearing them, and skip the retail markup entirely. On opening day, twelve customers ordered a low canvas deck shoe with a thick rubber sole — nothing was even on the shelf yet, so they picked their pairs up that afternoon. That shoe would later become the Authentic.

The construction was the whole point. A thicker sole than the tennis shoes of the day, and a grippier rubber compound than anything else on the market. It wasn't designed with skateboarding in mind — skateboarding barely existed as a scene yet — but the timing turned out to be perfect.

From The Skatepark To Everywhere

Southern California's skate culture found Vans almost by accident, and by the late 1970s the relationship had become mutual. Riders were customising their pairs, the "Off The Wall" branding appeared, and a doodle by Paul Van Doren became the side stripe that still runs across the Old Skool today. The checkerboard pattern, now one of the most recognised motifs in footwear, started the same way — kids drawing it on their own shoes until the brand simply made it official.

Then came 1982, and Sean Penn's Jeff Spicoli sliding through Fast Times at Ridgemont High in checkerboard slip-ons. It's hard to overstate what that moment did — Vans went from a regional skate shoe to a genuine piece of American pop culture almost overnight, and it's a status the brand has never really lost.

The Premium Line

What we stock at The Rake is Vans Premium — the brand's own archive, rebuilt in better materials. The Authentic and Old Skool are the same shapes and proportions that made them recognisable in the first place, but the canvas is replaced with suede or leather, the sidewalls get a glossier finish, the collar is leather-lined, and the insole is upgraded for actual all-day wear. It's less a reinvention than a considered upgrade: the shoe you already know, made to be worn well past the skatepark.

How To Wear Them

The suede Old Skool and Authentic both sit comfortably outside of strictly casual dressing — pair them with washed denim or a straight-leg chino and they hold their own against a chore coat or overshirt without looking like they're trying too hard. Keep the rest of the fit simple. The shoe carries enough texture and history on its own; it doesn't need competing for attention.

Sizing

A Note On Care

Suede needs a light hand. Brush with a soft suede brush after each wear to lift dirt before it sets in, and treat with a suede protector spray before the first wear to guard against water and staining. Avoid direct heat or sunlight when drying, and keep them away from prolonged rain where possible — suede and puddles don't mix.