Vans

**Vans** is an American manufacturer of skateboarding shoes and related apparel. In January 2012, Lupe Fiasco was announced as that year's brand ambassador for Vans OTW (Off the Wall). In his video essay, he stated that he mainly did music to perform, where he liked the energy, the fans, and the occasional spontaneity. A free limited run photobook was released in conjunction, *In Honor of Living the Good Life*, which contains photography of the 2012 advocates and newest apparel line. In addition, there was news about Fiasco's Vans signature shoe slated to be released at the end of the year.

*Hypebeast* made note of Fiasco touring the globe in Stovepipe, Alomar and Alcon. They conducted an interview, where Fiasco explained of his history with the brand, "Over the past few years, Vans was a brand that I was wearing on a daily basis besides Dr. Martens. I would wear it privately and on stage. Once this opportunity has come up, I said to myself 'why not? Since I am already wearing their shoes for myself, why not broaden up the whole experience with this brand.' Obviously, it is something that came easy with me. For this advocacy, I did not have to step out of my own lane in order to do something else. It is an honest effort. It was not anything that started out back in the days, especially since I could not afford a pair of Vans as a little kid but it represents a part of me of the last few years. I used to skate a lot so when I was skating, I used to rock Vans. However, the Vans I wore was because of style and less about skating, so I tore them all up. Eventually, I realized that I needed a performance shoe."

## Synopsis

Vans OTW Presents Advocate Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco has never been one to shy away from a challenge as he constantly pushes himself to stay progressive and break barriers with his music. As an artist, he lives to perform and is always searching for the simplest way to express his complex ideas. In this Advocate spotlight video from the Vans OTW Collection and OffTheWall.TV, Fiasco opens up about his dedication to his craft, his connection to his fans, and achieving his "perfect moment" on stage.

Native Tongues
The Vans OTW Collection proudly presents Advocate Lupe Fiasco's signature Stovepipe colorway this holiday season. Fiasco's inspiration for this project references '90s hip-hop culture and fashion, an aesthetic he refers to as "Native Tongues". The Grammy-award winning emcee integrates retro patterns and color schemes from the era into the design of the Stovepipe; the pattern utilized on the canvas tongue takes visual cues from native cultures and is a blend of African and Native American prints while the rest of the shoe is crafted in leather from ankle wrap to toe vamp in an all-black form that is contrasted by a bright hit of color at the outsole. The "Native Tongue" canvas is also used to construct a premium drawstring backpack that comes with each pair of the Stovepipe. Finished off with custom Lupe Fiasco branding and packaged with deluxe shoe box artwork, the Vans OTW x Lupe Fiasco Stovepipe is now available at select Vans OTW Collection retailers.

## Background

On January 18, 2012, Fiasco performed during Berlin Fashion Week at the Vans OTW launch party for their Spring 2012 collection.

In December 2012, the collaboration between Vans and Lupe Fiasco was released. Entitled "Native Tongues," it is a take on the OTW Stovepipe. It was sold at select Vans OTW retailers for limited edition, with only 200 pairs being made available. *Complex* made note of its name, "took inspiration from the well-respected early '90s group made up of A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul. The unique patterns utilized by Lupe immediately scream early '90s hip hop fashion, seen only on the tongue as a form of representing our only true form of human communication."

In an interview with *Complex*, Fiasco noted of both collaborations, "I love vintage sports cars. So for that one particular collaboration, I just took the Ferrari F40 and was like 'take this, and make this a shoe.' And the other side was wanting to use different prints, wordly prints that I think don't get much shine that speak to a heritage of something other than western. More indigenous societies, cultures, and stuff like that. So we did a piece called the Native Tongues, where we took different pieces of cloth from different tribes and civilizations and made it into the tongue of the shoe." His design notes specifically stated, "The tongue and the inner sole of the shoe are the only places where the pattern is applied. [...] It creates visually and structurally—a sort of pure bridge or connection between what is possessed on the inside and what is expressed to the outside." He expanded on this to *Hypebeast*:

>
> I wanted to use native prints, which isn't anything radical or revolutionary but something that I always wanted to use. Adding trademark patterns of indigenous societies to a shoe is something that has always fascinated me. Let's call it Native Tongues so we can also link it to the music as well. So this traditional facet was one push.
>
>
> [...]
>
>
> To me Ferraris are the sexiest cars in the planet. Hence, I wanted to use the Ferrari F40 and approached the designers like, "Make a shoe out of this. Take the lines from this model and also make sure to add some Lamborghini Diablo elements to it. Take some of these lines, some of these vents, pieces and parts and let's create a special shoe." These inspirations obviously fit my personal taste, since these are things that I like. But for me as a musician, the technical aspect was also crucial. I needed something that I could wear, something that fits all of the criteria of a shoe that I need while performing on stage. It started with minor details like the lacing, the traction… So many details that need to be paid attention to. With over 15 years of stage experience I obviously know what I need out of a shoe.
>
>
>
>

## Critical reception

*Trend Hunter* described of "Native Tongues," "The footwear contains a canvas tongue, which holds most of the pattern. The rest of the dark exterior is crafted out of leather with a rubber midsole. The under sole is a bright golden yellow. The Lupe Fiasco Vans OTW Stovepipe shoes come with a drawstring backpack covered in the same eye-catching patterns found on the sneakers. When you open the solid black box they are packaged in, you'll be surprised with dizzying tribal print." *Hypebeast* reviewed, "the emcee integrated retro patterns alongside a vibrant color scheme that is reflective of the '90s hip-hop era. More specifically, the canvas tongue takes visual cues from native cultures, blending African and Native American prints to outfit the shoe." This pair was added to *XXL*'s list "The 10 Best Sneakers Designed by Rappers."

Bi-monthly magazine *Dazed* penned of Fiasco's performance at the Berlin launch party, "[His] live energy and restless approach to rap's possibilities remains refreshing despite his recent label politics and Amsterdam's Patta Soundsystem remain cutting edge, but never too self-consciously cool to enjoy themselves."

## Gallery

* OTW Advocate
* OTW 2012 Advocate Photo Essay
* Ad

"Native Tongues""Native Tongues""Native Tongues""Native Tongues"2012 Launch Party
## References

1. ↑ "OTW 2012 Advocate Photo Essay". *Vimeo*. January 13, 2012.
2. ↑ Fox, T.S. (June 6, 2012). "Vans OTW Advocate Lupe Fiasco Talks Music". *Hypebeast*.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kujundzic, Petar (January 25, 2012). "Lupe Fiasco: Off the Wall in Berlin". *Hypebeast*. January 25, 2012.
4. ↑ Kujundzic, Petar (February 3, 2012). "Lupe Fiasco @ Vans OTW Launch in Berlin Recap". *Hypebeast*.
5. ↑ "Lupe Fiasco x Vans OTW Stovepipe "Native Tongues"". *Complex*. December 13, 2012.
6. ↑ Deleon, Jian (January 19, 2012). "Interview: Lupe Fiasco Talks Style, Japanese Designers, Vans OTW & "The New Luxury"". *Complex*.
7. ↑ Mahlmeister, Chrissy (December 12, 2012). "Peep the New Lupe Fiasco x Vans OTW Sneakers!". *MTV*.
8. ↑ Taylor, Nikki (December 16, 2012). "The Lupe Fiasco Vans OTW Stovepipe Are a Fresh Take on Tribal Design". *Trend Hunter*.
9. ↑ Gibson, Max (December 12, 2012). "Lupe Fiasco x Vans OTW Stovepipe "Native Tongues"". *Hypebeast*.
10. ↑ Buyanovsky, Dan (August 19, 2013). "The 10 Best Sneakers Designed by Rappers". *XXL*.
11. ↑ "Vans OTW Berlin". *Dazed*. January 24, 2012.