We’re back y’all. Episode 26. Some of us are getting over a little bug. Some are feeling a little bit tired. Some are trying to figure out if we should put away our winter gear yet, but all in all, we’re all in great spirits. We know you’re dying to know our drinks for the night. Bill chose an Amigo Lager by Port Brewing tonight. Joe had a Disaronno & Coke, and Ed had a Sweet Tea Bang.
It was a great weekend for NFL football. Joe’s happy to not see Tom Brady advance to the conference championship. He’s also hoping to see the Rams beat the 49ers next Sunday, to further prove his opinion (not fact, according to Bill), of how bad the Chargers are, lol.
The only Vans release info for this week, is the Vault x Notre (which fyi, is pronounced “no-truh”) OG Style 36 LX. One of our favorite models, featuring 3 colorways, espresso, matcha, and tea. All unique bangers. Praying to the Vans Gods that we can all secure the ones we want. Notre is crazy hype right now. We also dabble a bit into the world of New Balance sneakers, which led to talking about other made in the USA sneakers and shoes in general.
Our main topic of discussion this week, centered around symbolism in Vans over the years, and just an open discussion about cultural appropriation in design inspiration, or controversial imagery and logos, that although most likely didn’t have any ill intent, but obviously have all but disappeared in designs as of recently. The OG Hosoi Sk8-Hi’s, featuring the Rising Sun graphic, are the first that come to mind. A logo synonymous with Christian Hosoi, seen across all of his decks in the 80’s, paying homage to his heritage, the best way he knew how. Perhaps with a little bit of welcomed controversy. Times were obviously different. Moving on to more current examples, we’ve noticed major changes in Taka Hayashi’s aesthetic. Gone are the Native American inspired designs, which are arguably some of his best work. Perhaps it was his evolution as an artist. Maybe the style was getting tired. Who knows, but it was the right time to switch it up. Wes Lang was also slated to have a collection with Vault in 2020, but the Native American imagery, as well as a questionable graphic tee he made for Vans in the past, resurfaced, and we believe that may have played a part in the decision to cancel the release. Sample pairs are floating around out there, and pics are online if you’re curious. A few other examples are also discussed.
We’re waiting to see what the Stussy Air Penny 2 will look like, which led to a little bit of Penny Hardaway talk, mainly around his current college coaching career. He’s not afraid to tell people what they need to hear! We close out tonight, giving a shout-out to Neil Young and Joe Rogan!
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