Vans Swell
Unisex Skateboarding Shoe
Client:
Vans®
Project Date:
2026
Description
The Swell features a reinforced suede toe vamp and heel panel for added durability, paired with a heavy duck canvas side panel and tongue. A genuine leather eyestay/sidestripe creates a contrasting focal point, while the vulcanized sole and rubber sidewall taping maintain the brand’s classic skate-shoe construction.
Product Details
Inspired by Southern California’s surf and skate culture, the Swell explores the fluid movement of the ocean through its panel shapes and stitch lines, which loosely echo the contours of a breaking wave.
The design draws from the Vans Bold Ni, which integrated the iconic sidestripe into the eyestay, and the angular ‘V’ side detailing of the Style 73. By combining these heritage elements into a unified construction, the Swell reinterprets familiar Vans design language into a new silhouette. A contrasting tongue that matches the leather eyestay and sidestripe, rather than the primary shoe color, further emphasizes this integrated detail and reinforces the design’s visual identity.
Project Brief
The Swell is a concept project exploring how Vans could evolve its heritage design language through new interpretations of archival details. As a longtime fan of the brand, I wanted to create a shoe that felt authentic to Vans’ existing product catalog while introducing a fresh perspective. Drawing from the brand’s Southern California roots and the visual character of the ocean, the project became an exercise in balancing recognizable design cues with original construction and form.