Vans x Star Wars Footwear Collection

Vans x Collection of Star Wars footwear launches May 4, 2014.

Since its release in 1977, Star Wars has become a force to be reckoned with in both film and pop culture.  Its influence on art, design and movie-making is global.  Iconic footwear and apparel brand, Vans has collaborated with Lucasfilm to create a collection of footwear that pays tribute to the classic film series.  The limited edition collection features images of the iconic characters and graphics influenced by the films.  Only 300 pairs are available.

Calvin Garcia and Taka Hayashi are both designers at Vans who were equally eager to bring this concept to life.  "Being a huge fan of Star Wars and Vans growing up, I was really excited to be a part of this special collaboration," said Hayashi.  "I was thrilled to find out that we were going to collaborate with Star Wars! Working closely with one of my heroes, legendary Vans skateboarder, Steve Caballero, we created a unique customer twist on the iconic Half-Cab label which depicts two of my favorite Star Wars characters, Yoda and Darth Vader, skateboarding in outer space," Garcia added.

The timing of this collection is perfect considering the announcement that original cast members, Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher will be appearing in Star Wars: Episode VII, reviving their iconic characters.  A limited selection of items will be available in stores as of May 4 and the full assortment will be available in June around the world.

Calvin Garcia and Taka Hayashi, designers at Vans worked on the Star Wars collaboration. 

The designs were simple and kept the tradition of Vans styling while infusing the small details to bring the Star Wars concept to life.  The knowledge and love the designers have of the characters benefited the final concepts.  "The Empire Strikes Back was definitely one of my favorites out of all the Episodes.  I wanted to incorporate some of the memorable characters and scenes from the movie.  My idea was to inject Star Wars characters into some of the iconic Vans prints by reworking them into a seamless look between the two worlds. From a distance it looks like the original Vans print but the closer you get, the more you start seeing Star Wars emerge." Hayashi said.

It will be interesting to see how fans of both the films and the brand respond to the items once they are available in store.  Garcia said, "I can't wait to see Star Wars fans and skateboard enthusiasts alike battling it out in these shoes, wearing Chewbacca masks and wildly swinging light-sabers around."

CLICK HERE to shop the collection.

Half Cab LX Darth Vader (Black) $140, Yoda (Turtledove) $140.

Darth Vader skateboarding detail.