VANS

We set out to solve a single tension for Vans: how do you bring a sense of slowness to an increasingly fast-paced world? Our answer was a concept collection that reimagines Vans' most iconic silhouettes through traditional, handmade techniques drawn from communities across the globe.

We sourced and adapted craft traditions from six regions—Pirarucu fish leather and Renda Renascença lace from Brazil, blue-and-white ceramic painting from China, Beni Ourain weaving from Morocco, Aztec embroidery from Mexico, and Aboriginal painting from Australia—and translated each into footwear designed through a metropolitan lens. From there we expanded the collection into an integrated skateboard-carry bag, a modular "Repetition" bag built from the geometry of Vans' own shoes, and a series of high-concept runway pieces to push the brand further into fashion.

Underpinning the design work, we developed a community giveback program modelled on the UN Sustainable Development Goals—prioritising quality education and economic literacy over one-time donation schemes, so the communities behind each technique benefit long-term. We paired this with a proposed editorial partnership with V Magazine to position the collaboration in the high-fashion space.

The result is a globalised design language that connects metropolitan consumers to local craft while supporting sustainable development at the source.