OTW by Vans, a new dedicated space where Vans co-creates with the trailblazers and innovators who push culture forward, introduces its debut collaborator – artist Sterling Ruby’s S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA.
S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. is the clothing and accessories collection inspired and evolved from over ten years of experimentation and development of textile as medium from American artist Sterling Ruby. Presenting new offerings outside any confines of a calendar, S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. collections are imagined from Sterling’s artworks including soft sculpture, quilts, backdrops and garments.
For the first time, OTW by Vans and S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. come together to present an all-new style for Vans. Titled ‘Clash the Wall,’ the sneaker is a mash-up of four Vans icons: the Old Skool 36, the Authentic, the Mid-Skool 77, and the Sk8-Hi. Made monochromatic in neon green and orange hues, nods to landmark works from Sterling Ruby’s practice.
The first style from an extended partnership between S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. and OTW by Vans marries the disruptive spirit inherent to Sterling Ruby’s artwork and Vans’ skateboarding heritage. Photographer Jack Bool captured the new ‘Clash the Wall’ footwear styles in S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA.’s Vernon, California studio and atelier, where much of the collaboration and design process took place.
“I loved skating, I still do. Everything about it represents freedom to me. From the simple rituals of dropping in on a vert ramp or grinding over a curb, the act of skateboarding defies gravity and is in and of itself rebellious,” explains Ruby. “This collaboration is a personal collaboration, the first S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. collaboration. Vans feels right to us, it defines a certain West Coast history. The company started in 1966 and has run in tandem to so many skaters, bands, and movements that have been influential to me, my art, and how my studio runs as a whole.”
Under the direction of Ian Ginoza, Vice President, Creative Director for Pinnacle, OTW by Vans—together with partners like S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA.—charts a new course for product innovation at Vans. “OTW takesVans’ roots in skateboarding and design history to inform new interpretations of what Vans can be,” shares Ginoza. “Sterling honors that approach by leveraging Vans’ iconic designs to create something new.”
To celebrate the launch of OTW by Vans x S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA., Vans has constructed a skateable installation in Downtown Los Angeles, designed by PLAYLAB, INC. in collaboration with Sterling Ruby. A recreation of the steep incline hills made famous by San Francisco skateboarding, the temporary monument mirrors the ‘Clash the Wall’ style with split-level ramps and a bold, neon-color finish. A viewing of the installation will be open to the Los Angeles community on Wednesday, February 28, from 12pm to 4pm PST at 2108 Bay Street.
The collaboration will be available in limited quantities through a curated selection of global wholesale partners, beginning Thursday, February 29, at 9am PST/12pm EST. Additional releases across footwear and apparel will follow in the coming years, with a second drop arriving before the end of 2024.
