We highlight some of the notable collections between the Heavyweight Japanese streetwear brand, WTAPS, and the California-based surf/skate apparel brand, Vans.
Before we get into some of our personal favorite shoes between the two brands, we will layout the background and brief history of the two.
WTAPS (pronounced ‘double taps’) was founded by Tetsu Nishiyama in 1997. He definitely incorporates military inspirations throughout the brand.
As a powerhouse in the streetwear community, WTAPS has collaborated many times with Vans. As we all know, Vans has become a worldwide staple but some people may not know about the collaborations they’ve done throughout their 50+ year history. We’ll take you through a quick time-lapse on some of their notable releases.
The first collab dates back to 2006 when WTAPS and Vans teamed up to release the iconic Crossbones and Wings collection in various Vans styles. To this day, these sneakers are still highly priced on resale sites and highly sought out for. Throughout the years, there have been various iterations in the colors but stay true to the OG concept.
In 2010, the Spider Collection was introduced in the Vans Sk8-Mid style. We’re actually pretty big fans of the Sk8-Mid silhouette but we feel that this style flies under the radar.
The next release that we feel worth mentioning is the 2011 Syndicate Burgundy Bones Pack. The burgundy adds a nice touch to the color palette to the overall WTAPS x Vans portfolio. Three Vans styles were released in this dark red colorway, the Sk8-Hi, Era, and Chukka Boot.
In 2013, WTAPS and Vans made the headlines in the streetwear community with the OG Slip-Ons. They delivered the classic Slip-On in two clean colorways. Pants or shorts, they are a nice accessory to your outfit.
Let us know what your favorite shoe or collection is from the 14-year history between the brands.
