It's Finally Happening! Vans Created Chefs' Shoes With Jon Shook And Vinny Dotolo.
It took six years for New York chef Tyler Kord to get a message across to footwear company Vans: Make a pair of shoes designed specifically for chefs. And, in 2014, the company finally agreed, creating the No. 7 Vans Classic Slip-On, shoes that are enhanced with more cushioning and arch support for long shifts on one's feet, siped (thinly slitted) outsoles for better traction, Vansguard repellent for spatters and spills and a top-to-bottom black color scheme to hide stains. Score one for the chefs.
Today, just over a year after the launch of the initial project, Vans issued a press release announcing its intention to partner with Los Angeles chefs Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo on a six-piece assortment of footwear designed with the professional kitchen environment in mind. Made specifically for Shook and Dotolo's Jon & Vinny's, Animal and Son of a Gun restaurants located in L.A.'s iconic Fairfax neighborhood, the lineup includes special colorways of the Vans Authentic, Classic Slip-On, Old Skool and Sk8-Hi Reissue, further addressing the needs of those in the professional kitchen workplace.
Embellished with colors and artwork from their corresponding establishments, Vans' footwear styles designed for Jon & Vinny's, Animal and Son of a Gun are built with specially coated water- and dirt-resistant canvas uppers and enhanced footbeds, making them better suited for demanding kitchen settings. A durable water-resistant coating allows liquids to slide off shoe surfaces, while upgraded cushioning provides arch support during long periods of standing.
Each restaurant showcases the Vans form in two special make-ups; Jon & Vinny's transfers their signature green and white tones onto the Authentic and Sk8-Hi Reissue, while Animal presents its monochromatic aesthetic in an all-black sneaker set and the nautically-inspired Son of a Gun rounds out the assortment with sea blue executions of the Classic Slip-On and Old Skool. Jon and Vinny — along with their kitchen staffs — will sport the shoes at the three restaurant locations, and Vans looks forward to further addressing the footwear needs of this unique creative community in future projects.