What’s a guy to do when his favorite sneaker company won’t collaborate with his favorite fashion house??? Well, Robert Verdi took the collaboration into his own hands by kindly requesting that Vans make him a few pairs of custom kicks out of his vintage Hermès scarf collection for his personal use. We have to admit, the end result was brilliant! This marriage between upscale prints and rubber street soles make the collaboration seem like a typical case of the old saying, ‘opposites attract.’ On the contrary, the union of Hermès and Vans make more sense than what meets the eye, by the use of the two distinctive materials that represent each company. Since 1937 Hermès has been designing their classic silk scarves, which elevated the company to an iconic status. Equally so, it was 1966 when Paul Van Doren sold his first pair of Vans on the streets of Anaheim California, with the same rubber sole we see today. The rubber of the shoes, and the silk of the scarves, are the two materials in which society identifies these brands to be. Though Hermes and Vans are from opposite worlds, they both found their identity, and stayed true to it!
