An OG Skate Shoe Is Remade, the Bottega Veneta Way
Any shoe as iconic as the Vans Authentic, a model first released in 1966 that became an OG skate shoe, is bound to have its imitators.
Normally found on the shelves of budget-friendly retailers like TK Maxx or Walmart, the Vans Authentic is the base for which many a simple pair of pumps is modeled.
Luxury-fied takes on the classic sneaker are harder to find, however, Bottega Veneta’s Sawyer Sneaker is just that: a four-figure, unmistakably luxurious sneaker that shares features with the Vans Authentic.
The slim-profile shoe has the same paneling on the upper as the Vans Authentic, curving round from where the laces end to the side of the sneakers, and it also has a crisscrossed sole not too dissimilar from Vans’ signature waffle sole.
The big difference between these sneakers and a pair of classic canvas Vans, however, is the craftsmanship.
Bottega Veneta specializes in high-end leather goods and these Italian-made sneakers are no different, crafted from a soft calfskin that’s woven in Bottega’s signature Intrecciato pattern. Hence, the $1,150 price tag.
Those who remember the heyday of Myspace and those iconic three-buttoned T-shirts have witnessed the Vans Authentic’s journey from a must-have sneaker to a largely forgotten icon.
However, the indie sleaze revival of late 2000s styles plus some strong Vans Authentic collaborations of late means that the stage is set for a large-scale renaissance. And having Bottega's backing can only help the simple style of sneaker gain popularity.
We’ve seen many sought-after sneakers from a similar era make a return, so, why not the Vans Authentic?
