Anthony Van Engelen has been part of the Vans Skateboarding family for almost 20 years. Over that time, his fearless style and relentless pursuit of progression have made him influential to both his peers and the next generation of skaters alike. Both Van Engelen and Vans Skateboarding live by an ethos of “always pushing” — trying to reimagine, redefine and continuously expand the boundaries of what’s possible in skateboarding — and the latest result of those never-ending experimentations is the Vans AVE 2.0. The brand’s most advanced skateboarding shoe ever, the AVE 2.0 debuted with a knit upper in March and is now returning with its second slate of drops. This time around, it’s swapped out the knit upper for a breathable mesh base.

True to Van Engelen’s “Always Pushing” spirit, Vans Skateboarding team members Willow Voges Fernandez, Tyson Peterson, Nelly Morville, and Diego Todd are highlighted in the campaign for the new AVE 2.0 release, spotlighting both Van Englen’s influence on two decades of skate culture and how that influence inspires the next generation of skaters to push the boundaries in the same way that AVE does.

The AVE 2.0 pulls no punches in ensuring it’s worth of being called Vans Skateboarding’s most advanced shoe ever. The upper’s new base fabrication features the aforementioned mesh, bonded to RapidWeld™ suede and synthetic TPU. Softer heel counters plus added foam around the tongue and collar offers increased comfort, while the advanced UltraCush™ midsole with a TPU support shank and outsole that combines an UltimateWaffle™ traction pattern with grippy SickStick™ rubber. Medium Grey, Lavender Fog/Black and AVE Bench Green colourways will be available, the latter of which is exclusive to select skate shops. 

Expect this new batch of Vans AVE 2.0 colourways to touch down via vans.eu/skate and select skate shops on June 13. To accompany the second release of AVE 2.0, Vans will host several activations across the heart of Paris from June 18 to 22. The daily events will include skate jams, exhibitions, and a surprise brand experience by OTW by Vans. More details will come later.