For Engineered Garments designer Daiki Suzuki, inspiration can come from many sources. Sometimes, this results in unexpected collaborations, like the Engineered Garments x Vault by Vans capsule, set to release at Nepenthes NYC on Tuesday, September 10.
So what you’re looking at are classic Vans silhouettes from the Dogtown ‘70s skate era—the Authentic LX and the Classic Slip-on LX. Engineered Garments gives the silhouettes a clean update with premium fabrics from the vault, so to speak. The Authentic LX will be available in a heavyweight sunforger duck canvas and olive reversed sateen. The more daring choice, though, are the slip-ons, which will come in mismatched leathers—smooth for the left and roughed-out for the right. It’s a peculiar detail that falls right in line with both Engineered Garments and Vans old school skateboarding culture.
The shoes will be available only at Nepenthes NYC September 10 and 11. Phone and email orders will be available starting Tuesday, September 12. Prices range from $65 to $85.
For some of us, names like J. Grant Brittain are just as important as Tony Hawk and Mark Gonzales in skateboarding lore. Brittain's images of star skateboarders of the 1980s helped catapult the sport into the imaginations of young people across North America and beyond. It made skaters like Christian Hosoi household names. Decades later, skate photography of the '80s has an unmatched allure, both for its technical aspects (capturing high-speed action beautifully) and historical importance in independent pop culture. Brittain, you might know, kept on shooting into present day.
As luck would have it, Brittain is on Etsy selling prints of his iconic (to us, anyway) original skate photos.
Just find those old Bones Brigade VHS tapes and your skate shrine is on its way.
Mark Gonzales
Steve Caballero
This month, avid skateboard collectors Jason Cohn and Stanton Hartsfield pay homage to the skateboard at the Surfing Heritage Foundation with a signing of their recently released book “Surf to Skate – Evolution to Revolution.” An exhibit of more than 75 super rare, color-drenched boards (circa 50s and 60s) culled from their personal stash will be on display, too. Think “Hobie Waffle”, “Makaha Phil Edwards”, “Rat Fink” and more.
Surf to Skate: – Evolution to Revolution - Vol. 1 is a photo journal that chronicles the history of skating, along with the rare finds that these two dudes (aka Scavenger) have amassed into a fancy coffee table tome that will surely impress your friends. It’s shaped like the first mass-produced skateboard, the “Roller Derby”, so you can hang that mofo right on your wall and voilà! Art.
Surf to Skate opens Saturday Jan 12, 3-5pm. at the Surfing Heritage Foundation in San Clemente