The Robert Verdi Vans® Slip-On x Hermès Customized Collection For Summer 2011 = Jeff Vans® Gully.

"What’s a guy to do when his favorite sneaker company won’t collaborate with his favorite fashion house??? Well, Robert Verdi took the collaboration into his own hands by kindly requesting that Vans make him a few pairs of custom kicks out of his vintage Hermes scarf collection for his personal use. We have to admit, the end result was brilliant! This marriage between upscale prints and rubber street soles make the collaboration seem like a typical case of the old saying, ‘opposites attract.’ On the contrary, the union of Hermes and Vans make more sense than what meets the eye, by the use of the two distinctive materials that represent each company. Since 1937 Hermes has been designing their classic silk scarves, which elevated the company to an iconic status. Equally so, it was 1966 when Paul Van Doren sold his first pair of Vans on the streets of Anaheim California, with the same rubber sole we see today. The rubber of the shoes, and the silk of the scarves, are the two materials in which society identifies these brands to be. Though Hermes and Vans are from opposite worlds, they both found their identity, and stayed true to it!"

Information Courtesy Of: Knstrct.Com

CHRIS LIVE AKA SHAKER SAYS: As a fashion purist, I generally regard unsolicited collaborations (NOTE: If such uncooperative unions can even truly be called "collaborations". Hmmmmmm, me thinks such forced fusions are more akin to date rape. No?) as disrespectful bastardizations of style that usually always run counter to the borrowed label's hard earned and understandably closely protected brand image. Nope. No sir, I don't like it. However, my attitude towards sneaky collaborations can prove to be quite malleable when the item(s) in question exhibits as fresh a design brilliance as this Vans® Slip-On x Hermès Customized Collection for Summer 2011.

I'm not even a fan of slip-on Vans® like that homie, but the awesome otherness that has been achieved by blending the aristocratic flair of the House of Hermès and their legendary highly collectible silk scarves with the "kick-push" kingly character of Vans® sneakers is the perfect marriage of the pretty and the gritty. This is "Heroin Chic" ... like burning a bag of dope in a sterling silver Tiffany & Co.® spoon. Now, THAT'S what we call "imagery" boys and girls ... lol.

Oh yeah, points have been deducted because these bespoke beauties aren't available to the public (NOTE: Maybe I should petition stylist Robert Verdi for a pair. The internet can be a magical place ... lol), but these kicks are still official my nig. Hey, I like what I like. Good shit!