Vans Covers Its Classic Authentic Sneaker in Denim

Denim sneakers have been popping up across the board from different brands over the last year, but Vans is taking its commitment to the material to another level.

The Vans Authentic “Denim Pack” sees the 60-year-old sneaker get full denim coverage in two different shades. Available in black or a moderately faded indigo, the denim treatment extends from the upper to cover the entirety of the midsole as well, which should provide some great opportunities for natural distressing.

Silver-tone metal eyestays feature on both colorways, as does a white Vans hangtag on the upper and beige badge on the midsole’s heel. While the indigo variant comes with white laces, black goes more uniform with laces in the same color. Close inspection also reveals white stitching on the indigo pair and blue on black.

Originally released in 1966 as the number 44 Deck Shoe, the Authentic is Vans’ very first model. As the name indicates, it was intended for wear on boats but wound up being widely adopted by skaters because its deck-gripping qualities proved just as useful for sticking to boards. Vans would then go on to release the world’s first dedicated skate shoe 10 years later with Stacy Peralta and Tony Alva giving input on the Era.

The past few years have seen the amount of denim sneakers ramp up, thanks to Levi’s increasing the frequency of its collaborations with Nike and many more brands bringing the textile to in-line releases. Among the many shoes that have borrowed from jeans are the Nike Air Max 95, Air Jordan 3, Adidas Samba and Converse Cons.

The Vans Authentic “Denim Pack” has begun popping up through Vans’ overseas webstores and select third-party retailers and will likely follow soon on the U.S. site. Pricing is set at $95.