Vans brings a skatepark to Sacré-Cœur in Paris for Men's Fashion Week – Footwear News

Vans is in a Parisian state of mind.

A year after launching its OTW by Vans initiative with a plexiglass skateboard ramp on the banks of the Seine, the shoe brand returns to Paris Men's Fashion Week with a series of events at the intersection of skateboarding and culture – and this time, she takes the Sacré-Coeur.

Despite traffic restrictions in the run-up to the Olympics, Vans is building a skate facility in front of the basilica which dominates the hillside district of Montmartre.

On Friday, which marks both the Fête de la Musique and Go Skateboarding Day, it will host a live skateboarding demonstration and performances by major French and international artists.

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It's an ambitious statement from the brand, which is in the midst of a recovery after two quarters of sharp sales declines – even as its Classic Slip-On style is touted by some as the summer shoe of 2024.

“Using this moment to create these unique experiences, to tell stories that are truly disruptive, is really what makes the difference, and it’s really what transforms our brand into the future,” said Drieke Leenknegt, chief marketing officer Vans World.

The activation of Paris is in three parts.

On Tuesday, his “Commitment to Progression” gallery tour, featuring the work of industry legend and longtime collaborator Anthony Van Engelen, landed in the French capital after stops in Los Angeles, Shanghai and Seoul. It included a public skate jam on the Place de la Bastille, a rallying point for Parisian riders.

On Wednesday, Vans was scheduled to host a party for “Atiba Jefferson: Skate Photography,” an exhibition organized by Architecture, the creative studio founded by the late Virgil Abloh, documenting 30 years of Jefferson’s work. This is the show's second stop following its debut in Miami last December.

The brand is building its skateable facility for Vans' OTW (Off the Wall) with Los Angeles-based design studio Playlab, Inc. and California Skateparks, which also built the facility for the Street League Skateboarding Championship in Paris in February.

A teaser on the dedicated OTW by Vans Instagram account showed a truck in a quarry and event details etched into a marble slab, but the brand said the skatepark would be made from a concrete mix , wood and moss.

“They took inspiration from the marble that is inside and then used it to build the skatable art form that will be the center of Sacre Coeur,” Leenknegt said, without elaborating.

She admitted the logistics were difficult, with parts of the city closed to traffic as local authorities begin construction of key competition venues in the run-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“It's always difficult to create a new space, but at the same time, it's also the most exciting to do it,” she said, comparing the brand's determination to the mindset of 'a pilot.

“When you're flying off-the-wall, when you're in the air, you don't know if you're going to land safely. So the attitude, which is also the attitude of young people, is quite determined,” she added.

Alongside the event, Vans is launching a sneaker designed with Dutch artist Piet Parra, known for his surreal bird-like characters, which will be available exclusively in Paris for friends of the brand.

Vans was keen to have a presence in the French capital ahead of the Olympics, which will mark only the second time skateboarding has been included as an official competition.

“We serve runners around the world and celebrating this moment, on a massive scale, is always a win for us as a brand,” Leenknegt said.

She's particularly excited about the new generation of riders like Arisa Trew, who recently achieved a milestone in skateboarding history by becoming the first woman to land a 900, a two-and-a-half-turn aerial spin performed on a ramp.

“The future for female riders is incredible and I'm so passionate about it, because they're going to redefine skateboarding, and they're redefining it right now for the future,” she said.

After reporting a 26% drop in sales in the fiscal fourth quarter, Leenknegt said the VF Corp.-owned brand will continue to grow. was seeing a good response to the new styles, including the Vans AVE 2.0, billed as its “most advanced skateboard shoe ever” and its latest. iteration of the Knu Skool.

“We're seeing amazing, positive progress,” said the executive, who joined Vans last year from Timberland. “There is a great appetite for the innovative products and new designs we bring to market. The AVE 2.0 with knitted upper resonates around the world.

However, she declined to share specific sales data or comment on when the brand expects revenue to improve.

Meanwhile, Vans' cult slip-on style, originally launched in 1977, is trending on TikTok after being worn by celebrities including Emily Ratajkowski and Sofia Richie, as well as influential Renggli designer Morgan Stewart McGraw. Likewise, Leenknegt did not indicate whether this translated into sales.

“It’s an honor to have people around the world celebrate our iconic brand and products,” she said.

As Vans strengthens its fashion credentials with partnerships such as its recent collaboration with Proenza Schouler, it is bringing skateboarding to the forefront as it seeks to regain its footing.

“We remind ourselves and the world that skateboarding and skateboard culture are at the center of this brand,” Leenknegt said. “Sometimes we lose sight of it. »

She said more initiatives would be shared in July as part of the brand's wider 'Always Pushing' campaign. “This is just the beginning,” she promised.