Matt Varga Sterling Ruby made a bold move earlier in 2024, uniting with Vans for his first official footwear collaboration, further extending his foothold in fashion after founding his S.R. Studio LA CA in 2019. Now, the one-off collaboration is shaping up as a more extensive partnership, with a set of teaser and promo images from the months preceding, culminating in the official reveal of the S.R. Studio LA CA x Vans OTW collection.
The big innovation from the pair’s debut capsule is the departure from the all-new “Clash The Wall” model, minted specifically for that link-up earlier in 2024. Instead, a selection of Vans standards appear unadulterated in this redux capsule: the Old Skool 36, Sk8-Hi 38, and Slip-On 98. From first glance, you’ll note what the brands themselves describe as the uniting aesthetic for these four pairs, an exploration of “deeper greens and golds” that aligns with Ruby’s “ABSOLUTE CONTEMPT FOR TOTAL SERENITY” sculpture series that began in 2008.
There’s an aesthetic split between the two SK8 Hi’s, one executing an industrial black and gold colorway, joined similarly by an all-over verdant Old Skool with matching spell-out text on the midsole. Contrarily, the other SK8 Hi and the Slip-On execute far more playful configurations, planting the brand’s “Vampire Sunrise” logo in repeated, tiled layouts across the upper of either shoe.
For the announcement and promo images, Sterling Ruby and Vans tabbed punk outfit Mannequin Pussy. In addition to the footwear, you’ll spot the co-branded apparel line that drops alongside; two hoodies, long-sleeves, and tees, each foregrounding pumpkins, a “fascination” of Ruby’s.
The S.R. Studio LA CA Vans collection releases on December 5th via the Vans OTW site – use the link here to hit the landing page on release day. As of writing, retail pricing is unconfirmed.
