California skate brand Vans has kept the artful Vault collaborations rolling this summer, recently announcing plans to work with Juxtapoz magazine founder Robert Williams on a collection of sneakers. The capsule will include three styles, the Slip-On, Authentic and Sk8-Hi Decon LX, all of which will feature graphics inspired by interpretations of some of Williams’ recent paintings. This will be his second capsule with the brand, with his first launched in 2009.
In an interview with Hypebeast, Williams spoke about the rise of an underground art movement as a product of a changing population and its natural connection to the Vans aesthetic.
“In the ’60s, for the first time in the history of the human race, there were more young people than there were old people. The structure of society radically changed and the amount of young people dramatically increased. Until then, young people had not been taken seriously and now the power of young people started becoming noticeable and effective. During this period of time, underground art started being distributed and then psychedelic posters were initiated, then eventually, the rise of underground comics. Vans has always dealt with an energetic market and that’s the market I have always functioned in. The people at Vans have always had an eye on the rock ‘n’ roll world, what’s happening in Los Angeles and New York City and they have been partial in the that. It was a natural marriage.”
The collection will launch July 23rd at Vault-designated retailers.