Design Daily: KnollTextiles for Vans OTW
Author:Sarah Virginia WhiteSkater style gets a modernist upgrade in the newest collection from Vans OTW, which pairs the midcentury panache of a plaid KnollTextiles pattern with the laid-back sneaker designs of the California shoe company.
Alcon with Knoll Cross Stitch in Graphite with leather and washed canvas upper, $100.
The sticky waffle grip of the original Van Doren Rubber Company canvas shoes attracted skateboarders in droves after the company was founded in 1966, and Vans hasn’t strayed too far from its roots in youth culture, art and street style. The OTW line revolves around artistic expression and collaboration, so it’s no surprise that they sought a pairing with the classic patterns Knoll has created since the 1940s.
KnollTextiles creative director Dorothy Cosonas designed Cross Stitch in 2006. She was inspired by the company’s founder, Florence Knoll, who borrowed liberally from men’s suiting fabric to create her modern textiles. The windowpane plaid that Cosonas designed is a destilled version of the contrasting pattern, and is woven in Scotland before shoeing fashion-forward outdoor athletes.
The limited collection includes three styles—the Piercy, Ludlow and Alcon—all classic Vans silhouettes that were updated with a slightly longer toe and thinned collar (at the ankle), giving this collection a slimmer, modern look that’s instantly recognizeable as Vans and that makes the perfect Christmas present for the over-30 skater set. Find them at Shoe Biz in San Francisco or American Rag in Los Angeles.
Ludlow with Knoll Cross Stitch in Butternut with leather, suede and washed canvas upper, $100.
