Matt Varga Vans has fostered several collaborative relationships that warrant repeat appearances. Undercover, Travis Barker, Satoshi Nakamoto, JJJound, and Parra are just some of the names that have cropped up multiple times in their current scorching-hot era. Yet there are few names that eclipse A Bathing Ape in general, making the announcement of a new chapter in their shared lineage appointment viewing.
Their last collection came in 2024, highlighting the Sk8 Mid and Old Skool, each toggling between panels of colored APE camo across all four sides. In hindsight, perhaps it was a sign of things to come, seeing how the erstwhile Style 36 has become the shining icon of the California company’s recent success. Somewhat ironically, then, A Bathing Ape and Vans now reach for a silhouette that reached its peak towards the start of the decade, brushing off the Knu Skool for their new capsule.
Revisiting a concept already seen in that aforementioned ’24 effort and throughout BAPE’s sneaker collabs, mismatched aesthetics are once again in focus on the late ’90s model across two colorways. On the “Color Camo Black,” darkened BAPE signatures on the lateral sides give way to monochromatic checkerboards on the medial side. Swap to the “Color Camo” for a more vibrant application, utilizing olive camouflage on the exterior sides before reaching for pink and purple flips on the reverse. Consistent across either variation, toothed molding on the midsoles and Star logo replacements for the SideStripes keep the Japanese giant’s motifs at the heart.
The BAPE x Vans Knu Skool releases on July 15th via vans.com and select in-store locations, with pairs at Fifth Avenue in NYC and The Grove in LA dropping via raffles. A $150 retail price is confirmed for either colorway.
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Mens A Bathing Ape x Vans Knu Skool
