Vans Authentic - stylish legend

Legend from the 1966

With his brother Paul and two others, Mr. Van Doren started the Van Doren Rubber Company in 1966. Based in Anaheim, California, it made rubber-soled canvas leisure shoes.

On March 16, 1966, at 704 East Broadway in Anaheim, California, U.S., brothers Paul Van Doren and James Van Doren, Gordon Lee, and Serge D'Elia opened the first Vans store under the name The Van Doren Rubber Company. The business manufactured shoes and sold them directly to the public. On that first morning, twelve customers purchased Vans deck shoes, which are now known as "Authentic".

Mr. Van Doren collaborated with a chemist to develop the rubber recipe used in the sole. A mechanical engineer by training, he also devised itscharacteristic tread pattern: diamonds interrupted by a band of tiny six-pointed stars at the ball of the foot. Together, rubber and tread made the sole clingy.

In the 70’s Vans were adopted by the skateboarding scene in California and the Skate Hi was created specifically. Van Doren paid up-and-coming pro-skater Stacy Peralta $300 dollars to wear vans shoes for a year. Peralta travelled the world skating competitions and featuring in skate magazines wearing a pair of Vans. The kids paid attention at Vans kept on soaring in popularity.

Vans shoes are icon of skateboard and "urban" subculture today. There are a lots of color version of Vans Authentic:

Vans Authentic