Vault by Vans Releases More Horween Leather Sneakers

There were days when collaborations were a BFD. They came forth from the aether of some parallel universe, where disparate things from our realm came together in perfect harmony. The resulting cobranded product would (I assume) get sucked into a wormhole before getting plopped down in an open field in Kansas, where it would then get dispersed to the smallest selection of retailers. Maybe it’s just my assigned algorithm, but that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. Collabs get released with such a fury that whatever cool, additive qualities one could attribute to the teamwork tends to slip by, unregistered.

Take this collaboration for example: one side, Vans, is known for designing some of the most iconic sneakers ever produced, while the other, Horween Leather, is known as America’s finest leather tannery. And though it’s not exactly a shocking partnership for a shoe — sneakers do get made in leather after all — anyone looking for a pair of Vans built to last should rejoice, because Horween leather lasts a lifetime.

The simplified two-tone colorways of the Old Skool Lite LX and SK8 Hi Lite LX stay historically consistent, which is cool, because leather this good should be the main focus always. And just so you stay comfortable, these were updated with some of Vans’ modern tech: the super soft UltraCush Lite sockliner.

$125-$150 at Need Supply.