OTW by Vans joins UNDERCOVER for a new release that brings Jun Takahashi’s design language to two Vans silhouettes: the Classic Slip On 98 and the Sk8 Hi. The collaboration places UNDERCOVER’s view of fashion, art and subculture inside the Vans universe, with a focus on technical construction, visual tension and familiar footwear forms.
SNEAKERS
The Classic Slip On 98 uses artwork by painter Emma Bennett, turning the upper into a direct surface for image and expression. Her paintings Whence You Came and Ardour appear across the left and right vamps, giving the shoe an immediate graphic identity.
The Sk8 Hi follows a different path. UNDERCOVER founder Jun Takahashi reshapes the high top through his own design vocabulary, using sharp lines and a clean, precise update. Takahashi’s approach brings the shoe closer to UNDERCOVER’s long running interest in street culture, art and music, with a finish that feels direct and considered.
UNDERCOVER gives the collaboration its deeper fashion context. Takahashi founded the brand in 1990, and UNDERCOVER first gained attention in Tokyo’s underground scene. The label built its identity through street fashion, art and music subcultures before moving into high end fashion and presenting collections at Paris Fashion Week. Over more than three decades, UNDERCOVER has reached a global audience while keeping a singular worldview at the center of its work.
The release also arrives as Vans continues to regain momentum. According to Lyst, demand for Vans has risen 38 percent year on year, as skate inspired footwear returns to the mainstream. The same report points to luxury’s renewed interest in similar silhouettes, including Pharrell’s Combi for Louis Vuitton, described as a shape with clear Vans adjacency.
OTW by Vans x UNDERCOVER will launch on June 24. Through the Classic Slip On 98 and Sk8 Hi, the collaboration connects Vans’ skate codes with UNDERCOVER’s subcultural foundation, creating a release that feels precise, graphic and tied to the current return of skate footwear.
