It’s worn by punk-rock legends and hip hop royalty. It’s been paraded down runways for some of the hottest designers on the planet. It’s the subject of ongoing collaborations with cooler-than-cool streetwear brands like WTAPS, Supreme and Opening Ceremony. And all of this from a sneaker that demands no more than a modest £60 in order to take up residence on your shoe rack.

Vans’s Old Skool is fashion footwear democratised. Highly attainable, but still a stalwart of the achingly cool. It’s an affordable canvas shoe that can be confidently paraded around Fashion Week without fear of retribution, yet probably wouldn’t raise any eyebrows if worn to your grandma’s 90th birthday party.

Here we examine the ins and outs of the world’s most fashion-friendly skate shoe, including how it came about, how to wear it and the key variations to get your hands on.

The Story Of The Vans Old Skool

Like all good sneakers, the Old Skool started life as a doodle in a designer’s notepad. Vans co-founder Paul Van Doren sketched a basic, canvas skate shoe with a waffle sole and white leather “jazz stripe” to the side. It was the first shoe to bear this curvy insignia, something which would go on to define the brand.

The sneaker debuted in 1977 but its name came later. Back then, the shoe was referred to simply as “Style 36”, and quickly became a big hit among the rebellious skate community of 1970s California and beyond.

By the time the 1980s came around, Old Skool fanatics had begun to make use of the shoe’s panelled construction to customise their footwear. Personalised versions of the sneaker, featuring bright colours and scribbled sketches became a common sight on the streets as the Old Skool’s popularity continued to grow.

As time progressed, the intended use as a skateboarding shoe became less significant. At its core, the Old Skool was one of the things that made Vans a respected skatewear brand, but one that was becoming evermore absorbed into the mainstream.