A Sneaker With A Purpose: Kids of Immigrants x Vans

Kids of Immigrants and Vans have partnered to create a pair of sneakers. What’s more sneaky is the powerful message behind the collaboration.

Photo Credit: GQ

Founded by Daniel Buezo and Weleh Dennis in 2016, the Los-Angeles based brand acts as a medium to express their passion to create, empower and love. Their mission statement is simple – “Do the best we can with what we have.” Both first generation Americans, Buezo and Dennis established the company name from what “united them and what makes this country” – that we are all immigrants. Furthermore, they hope to recognise that despite being “from different fabrics [but] together make a whole”.

“Work A Day In Our Shoes”

Fashion | News
Photo Credit: Yahoo News

“Work A Day In Our Shoes” is a take on Van’s Lowland CC canvas sneaker. It is a simple, all-white, industrial palette that awaits customisation. Only 400 pairs are available for sale for US$100. Each pair has been hand-distressed by members of Kids of Immigrants as part of weaving their story into their products.

Photo Credit: HypeBeast

Buezo said to Women’s Wear Daily:

“The shoe material didn’t distress straight from the factory like we wanted it to look so we took it in. It was five to six days of working 10 hours a day. That process of touching every product and seeing it go forward is huge.”

Particularly, this collaboration is even more meaningful to one of the co-founders. To clarify, speaking to HypeBeast, Dennis expressed his love for Vans growing up. Especially having also worked for the company in the past, he mentioned he’d sold a lot of the classic silhouettes.

Photo Credit: Sneaker News

Kids of Immigrants x Vans comes via Foot Locker’s Greenhouse program. The program acts as an initiative that pairs big-time labels with up-and-comers. Additionally, Vans has donated US$5000 to A New Way of Life, a nonprofit organisation in Los Angeles that provides support to women after their release from prison.

The footwear collaboration is available from October 2 exclusive to the Greenhouse App and Kids of Immigrants website.

Check out the promotional video below.

 

Subscribe to FIB’s Weekly Alchemy Report for your weekly dose of music, fashion and pop culture news!