Aaron Hope 
mastermind JAPAN doesn’t always collaborate with major sneaker brands, but when they do, it’s going to be black. We’re not exactly dealing with the most interesting man in the world here, but mastermind’s take on the immortal Vans Sk8-Hi does indeed apply some attention-grabbing twists to one of the skate scene’s design pillars. Goign with a simple black and white combo, mastermind alters the classic vulc sole so that it’s mostly black behind a white kickplate and the outsole reveals a checkerboard pattern similar to the one on this pair’s sockliner. It’s from there you’ll find the shoe’s signature element, a heel zipper that keeps these in step with some of the other notable collabos of Japanese origin we’ve seen in 2011. How do they compare with the Blazer AB or Air Magma Zip? Let us know when you click through to see more images and get with your Far East peeps now, because these are available at Bobos for a short time.
