Last week, Vans hosted a new immersive experience in Paris which hosted the 'Waffleheads' – an exclusive group of Vans obsessives who have collected, customised, and got creative with sneakers as part of their creative careers.
Waffleheads are a different breed of Vans obsessive. They'll make you forget everything you thought you knew about collecting sneakers, with each participant having carved their own space in the culture of collecting footwear.
The Paris stop of the ‘Meet the Waffleheads’ tour brought everything we’ve come to expect from the brand’s “Off The Wall” spirit to life. The event was a celebration of music and street culture with panel discussions, customisation sessions and an exhibition of Vans ‘grails’ that reminded us just how much heat they’ve brought to the streets over many, many years.
Rather than have consumers stand in line for an exclusive drop to get pristine kicks kept in their boxes, Vans offered fans the chance to customise unique one-of-one 'Waffleheads' jackets and engage with some of the culture's most important voices first hand, to get a true experience of what the brand is all about.
Complex caught up with three 'Waffleheads' in artist and designer Ryan Hawaii, super-collector Pillow Heat and snowboarder Benny Urban to share their stories about how they first fell in love with the brand, their relationship with the brand over the years and how Vans has become a canvas to their self-expression.
Fans can submit their own collections or customized Vans on Instagram using #imawafflehead, the most creative will be invited to showcase at a further public Waffleheads event in London.
Ryan Hawaii
For artist and clothing designer Ryan Hawaii, customization has always been a part of his creative process. In the spirit of DIY, when he wants something made, he makes it himself – because no else can make the same vision come to life.
COMPLEX: Do you remember your first-ever vans?
Ryan Hawaii: I remember when I was 16, 8 years ago now, where I was selling my own pairs of Old-Skools. I was really into Odd Future at the time. They inspired me a lot in terms of setting a precedent for being a group but also being able to make it as an individual. I’ve got a pair of the Golf Wang Vans on right now which I like a lot. The Metallica Kill Them All Vans were also hard.
Do you think you were wearing Vans before it became a massive tribalism thing, and more a niche shoe?
I probably got into them when they first started getting hyped. As it was the first time I was trying to make a living off it, I just went for the Old-Skools all the time.
As an artist and designer, what do you like most about the silhouette?
They’re a great canvas for people to use, and at a price point where I could buy them too – so they were and still remain a classic shoe in those respects. It’s universality is actually one of it’s strengths now, as it’s easy to be customisable as it’s so utilitarian.
Has there been a big demand for you to customise Vans?
Let’s just say there were some high, high profile people checking my stuff back in the day, and Vans were the model that people wanted to cop. A lot of people were hitting me up via Instagram and wanting to get their hands on a pair. That gave me the validation I needed to carry on doing what I’m doing.
Henry Davies a.k.a. Pillow Heat
In 1999, Pillow Heat founder Henry Davies kicked off an ambitious goal - to collect every vintage Vans shoe that was made in America. For him, it’s not about the acquisition of the shoe. It’s the hunt, the history, and the meaning loaded into each new find.
COMPLEX: What sparked your initial passion for Vans?
Henry Davies: I remember going into buy a BMX in Sydney when I was about 16 in a bike shop. I saw this dude in these red checkered Vans and I was like "holy shit!". This was years and years before I properly got into it, but that was definitely what planted the seed. I was using other shoes at the time for messing around in skating or biking, but once I found out how durable Vans were, I didn't bother using other shoes. I was also mad into the Dogtown and Z-Boys documentary growing up, and once I watched that, there was no going back.
Was your background from skating? Or was it purely just loving the product?
Purely the product. I dabbled with skating in '88, and I was always in and out, and out like any other kid at the time, but I just loved the product as it was so hard to find.
Do you remember your first pair?
Yeah it was a black and white checkerboard slip on. After that, I remember having to use eBay to buy rarer pairs. The shipping costs were mad hectic, and I would have to wait months for shoes to arrive to Australia from all around the world. But I've definitely refined the technique over the years from having to wait months from getting pairs shipped in, when they might not even show up.
What's your favourite pair that you own now?
I always go back to the classics, and the blue/red/blue. The two-tone, 1976 era Vans are my favourite. They were the first skate shoe made for Vans and the second skate specific shoe ever made. There was no design process back then – they just made shoes when people needed something specific.
The popularity of Vans has fluctuated down the years, but your love for the brand has never changed. Do you think the perception of the brand has changed?
It's definitely changed down the years. People from all walks of life wear Vans now, and the reasons for wearing them are definitely different now. When the shoe was previously more surf and skate specific, now people will wear them as they see everyone else wearing them.
Have you got any crazy stories involving wearing Vans? What lengths have you gone to try and get a pair you really want?
Shoes are rare for different reasons, they could be very old or very popular at the time and so there are really few pieces left. In the ’70 Vans made real clown shoes and, in order to find them, I went on clown websites and forums to try and get my hands on old Vans clown shoes. I used to have conversations on these forums when I was essentially educating clowns about the shoes they used to wear back in the day. So that was pretty weird!
Benny Urban
Originally from Hamburg and now based in Munich, Benny is one of the most accomplished and respected street snowboarders in Europe. With a style and attitude that resonates with everything Vans represents, Benny has already racked up a host of iconic video parts at the age of just 24, meaning his future with the company is brighter than ever.
COMPLEX: What first sparked your passion for Vans?
It was definitely when I saw the Vans Authentic for the first time. I was actually skating in other shoes, but when I tried them on, I realised how fucking awesome they were to skate in.
What’s the pair that means the most to you?
I love all-whites, AV Classic Pros in all-cotton. I had one pair, skated in them, and then never managed to find a pair ever again. They gotta re-up 'em, if they haven't already!
As a Snowboarder, what inspired you to work with Vans?
Vans is so embedded in the roots of our culture. It was a complete dream to work with Vans because it's been such a big part of my life down the years. Going from skating to snowboarding, you'd always see Vans on people I idolised growing up, so to work with them now on a professional level is crazy
How much you think sport has informed the shoe? And do you think it’s moved beyond being a purely sport brand?
Vans have just become so much more relatable down the years as the subcultures of skating, surfing or whatever get bigger and bigger. Because they're easier to tap into, you see more and more people wearing them and digging the brand. There's so many different occasions where you can use the shoe, so it's understandable how Vans has transcended to the company it is today.
Check out what went down at the Vans Waffleheads event in Paris in the photos below.
