Wes Lang x Vans
Wes Lang – The Sudio. Photo: Ole Hein Pedersen
Source: Aros
I recently flipped through Wes Lang's monograph published by PictureBox and once again realized how much I admire his work. Not necessarily because of a deep underlying message, rather because I simply appreciate the aesthetics and really enjoy looking at it. (The painting covering said book - Good Things Are Coming Our Way, 2012 - has been the wallpaper image for all my devices for some time now.) You may recognize him from his illustration work for the Grateful Dead or even his very short-lived motorcycle culture-inspired clothing brand Best Wishes which he started with clothing designer Austin Sherbanenko. More likely you have seen his work on the merchandise designs for Kanye West's Yeezus tour as well as more recently, merchandise for the Wyoming release party for the Ye album.
While looking at Lang's compositions of American iconography, Native American art-styles, and scattered text elements, I was reminded that some time ago I saw early images of a collaboration between the artist and Vans. I remembered really liking those first photos and looking forward to the shoe's release but unfortunately, they never came out and after the first teasers no further images were shared. Thus I started to wonder what became of the project and felt the urge to gather all available info about the Wes Lang x Vans project which seemingly did not come to fruition.
Wes Lang x Vans Slip-On
Source: VansFans.cn
At the beginning, I got a bit skeptic that some of the imagery which can be found online simply shows counterfeit products because most lead me to dubious websites selling the shoes for $17,68 or something similar. Instagram-Posts by DRx Romanelli and Edison Chen on the other hand, clarified that there at least should be samples of Sk8-His and Slip-Ons in existence. These two guys are well connected in the LA creative scenes (I vaguely remember reading somewhere that Chen is a collector of Lang's work for example) and it makes sense that Lang gifted them their pairs. That being said, I hope all the images shown here depict authentic samples.
Wes Lang x Vans Slip-On
Source: VansFans.cn
The results of the collaboration are two shoes that showcase Wang's art on iconic Vans silhouettes. They basically are what you would expect but in my opinion, there is really no need to go any "further" since it basically is what you would want when you hear that Wes Lang is doing a Vans collaboration. Both shoes feature canvas uppers with a white or off-white backdrop and parts of Wang's paintings as all-over prints sitting on top of white midsoles. According to Hypebeast the collaborative Sk8-Hi was planned as a part of a range of celebratory releases for the occasion of the model's 50th anniversary in 2016. The Slip-Ons (to my knowledge) first appeared on Edison Chen's Instagram page without any further context and are my personal favorite. Mainly because – even though I like the selected artwork – I miss a more distinguishable Jazz stripe on the Sk8-His. Some high-quality white leather would have been nice. Also, I really like the embroidery on the heels of the Slip-Ons. On one version of the samples I found on Grailed, it reads "NOTHING TO LOSE" and "BORN TO WIN" while a pair showcased on a Chinese website for Vans enthusiasts boasts "ENDURE FOREVER" and "PARADISE WAITS" in Wang’s distinguishable handwriting.
Wes Lang x Vans Sk8-Hi, Photo: Drx Romanelli
Source: Hypebeast
In my opinion, the cancellation of this release represents a missed opportunity. The project has quite some potential and could have been a favorite amongst Vans collectors and art enthusiasts alike. The obvious advantages of a Kanye West affiliation and a healthy standing in the art world put aside, a collaboration between those two partners makes sense sonically. Wes Lang's admiration for motorcycle culture and his Americana aesthetic make his work feel deeply "American". While being an inherently American company, Vans capitalizes on romanticized versions of Californian surf and skate culture. A similar (Jim Krantz-like) romanticism could be awarded to Wes Lang's drawings but in regards to American and Native American imagery as well as his characteristic Taoist wordings. Mixing the two together makes perfect sense. Imagine the Bones Brigade re-uniting as a motorcycle gang.
Anything Wang does feels like a further addition to his intricate, yet coherent, world building. In a GQ interview, he said that he admires Jack Nicholson's iconic line from The Departed in which Frank Costello (Nicholson’s character) states that he does not want to be a product of his environment; he wants his environment to be a product of himself. Designing his own Vans fits perfectly in that spectrum of adding another layer to the Wes Lang cosmos. Similar to looking at Lang’s painting and discovering more and more details, references and nuances over time, the shoes could have inherited this aspect of curiosity and playfulness – or simply put: fun. While Wang’s artworks for the prints are not necessarily very simplistic or “clean”, they are still rather interesting and intriguing than overwhelming. In today’s environment were most shoes (and shoe releases) ultimately result in more stress than fun – may this be the case because of super limited quantities or over the top designs – it would have been nice to see a project that focuses on the fun of the product and the art respectively.
Sources:
http://www.artbook.com/9781939799111.html
https://www.gq.com/story/wes-lang-artist-interview
https://www.grailed.com/listings/581621-wes-lang-vans-x-wes-lang-sample
https://hypebeast.com/2016/2/wes-lang-vans-og-sk8-hi
https://www.grailed.com/listings/1290020-vans-x-wes-lang-vans-x-wes-lang
https://www.instagram.com/p/BCTnbXPkwcy/?taken-by=drxromanelli
https://www.instagram.com/p/BBga-1euvH1/?taken-by=edcee3000
Image Sources:
https://www.aros.dk/om-aros/presse/2014/wes-lang-the-studio/wes-lang/
https://www.vansfans.cn/shangshouwanweslangxvansvaultogsliponlx/
Thumbnail image: Wes Lang x Vans Slip On.
Source: VansFans.cn
