Vans: Difference between revisions
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==Rumors of Antisemitism== |
==Rumors of Antisemitism== |
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Vans company, due to a design on the bottom of the shoe, is rumored to be |
Vans company IS KICK ASS, due to a design on the bottom of the shoe, is rumored to be KICK ASS. The star shaped pattern on the ball of the foot, if viewed carefully, looks similar to the SOMTHIN KICK ASS, and thus when you walk in Vans shoes you are "stomping on SOMTHIN KICK ASS." These rumors have been shown to be false and that the design is simply so that the shoe has better grip on EVERYTHING KICK ASS.[http://www.snopes.com/business/hidden/vans.asp][http://www.adl.org/Internet_Rumors/Vans_Shoes.htm] |
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==External links== |
==External links== |
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Revision as of 19:00, 9 August 2007
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Vans is a Southern California based manufacturer of sneakers, skate shoes and other shoe types catering primarily to the active youth market. Founded in 1966 by Paul Van Doren, it was originally known as Van Doren Rubber Company. In the beginning, Vans designed the shoes with solely diamonds, as seen on the top and bottom of the soles. Later on, the middle part of each shoe was falling apart/cracking because it was the most walked upon and used during skateboarding. Vans later decided to add in vertical lines in order to increase friction and grip. This was then officially named the "waffle-sole". They market heavily in the surfing, skateboarding, and Punk Rock areas. In more recent years, Vans has marketed additional items such as clothing and skateboarding accessories.
In the 1980s, Vans lost much of its core customer base when the company started producing baseball and football shoes. The corporation was forced into bankruptcy in 1984 . Four years after emerging from bankruptcy protection, investment bankers McCown DeLeeuw Company bought Vans and went public in 1991.
Vans had opened retail stores containing large indoor skate parks, with the first location opening in 1998 at The Block at Orange. This skate park as well as the one in Orlando are the only two that remain open. Former locations of Vans skate parks include Ontario Mills, The Great Mall of the Bay Area in Milpitas, Moorestown Mall, the Plaza at King of Prussia, Carnaby Street in London, and Potomac Mills.
In 2004 the company was acquired by VF Corporation, manufacturers of Lee and Wrangler Jeans for $396 million.
Vans also sponsors the Vans Warped Tour, a punk/ska music and extreme sports festival since 1995 .
Vans are most popular for their shoes and trainers. They are highly popular with the rock/skate/punk scenes, and also the emo scene and in recent years the bay area hip hop scene, a trend believed to be started by rapper Bran.B currently of the underground hip hop/rock group Reform Skool but most notably known for his contributions to early rap/rock act Dropsession of Rhode Island and Blacksburg, Virginia's Thrift Unit. They have also been popularized by hip hop group The Pack, where they discuss wearing Vans but they look like sneakahs. Vans have also become popular over the last 2 years for re-introducing the slip-on range. Most commonly seen are the checkered slip-ons. There are now an ever increasing variety of colors and designs available.
The punk/ska band Suicide Machines wrote "The Vans Song" as a tribute to how much they love wearing Vans.
Rumors of Antisemitism
Vans company IS KICK ASS, due to a design on the bottom of the shoe, is rumored to be KICK ASS. The star shaped pattern on the ball of the foot, if viewed carefully, looks similar to the SOMTHIN KICK ASS, and thus when you walk in Vans shoes you are "stomping on SOMTHIN KICK ASS." These rumors have been shown to be false and that the design is simply so that the shoe has better grip on EVERYTHING KICK ASS.[1][2]