Kenzo Collaborates With Vans on Floral Print Sneakers
Stephanie Hirschmiller
European Editor
Kenzo is reprising its partnership with skate brand Vans with a new footwear collaboration for spring ’20. It is also releasing a skate inspired ready-to-wear and accessories capsule plus a limited edition skateboard deck with profits benefitting a youth charity in Jamaica.
Vivid, all-over floral prints taken from the Kenzo archives wrap the Vans Sk8-Hi, high-top sneaker and the Old-Skool, low-top sneaker – the signature silhouette featuring the classic Vans sidestripe. The styles come in three prints in both men’s and women’s sizing.
Expanding on the skate inspiration is a capsule of ready-to-wear pieces and accessories designed by creative director Felipe Oliveira Baptista. This is the first capsule collection he has created for the house since he joined last year. Like the Kenzo x Vans sneakers, archival floral prints constitute the leitmotif of this dynamic, youthful wardrobe.
The capsule includes 46 ready-to-wear pieces, including jersey items made with 100% organic cotton as well as a selection of bob hats, baseball caps, backpacks and bags.
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Complementing the capsule is a Kenzo skateboard art edition created in collaboration with The Skateroom. Done in a limited quantity of 150 pieces, the skateboard deck is available in selective Kenzo stores globally and on the Kenzo website. All of the profits will be donated to a social skate project to empower at-risk youth in Jamaica.
The collaboration and capsule are accompanied by a campaign shot by Ari Marcopoulos. Done in a raw reportage style, this takes in images and videos featuring seven real skaters and friends in Los Angeles — Tre’Veon Ladson, Tyron Watts, Vincent Nava, Omoye Brown, Surish Singh, David Branom and Rebecca L’Amore.
The group were outfitted in pieces from the capsule and shot against the Californian backdrop to give an intimate insight into their everyday lives.
The collaboration and capsule collection launches June 17. They will be available at Kenzo stores, including Kenzo Hudson Yards in New York and Kenzo Beverly Center in Los Angeles. The skateboard will be available online at Kenzo.com and at Kenzo Beverly Center in L.A.
