Kids of Immigrants Celebrates its Five-Year Anniversary with Doubled-Up Vans Old Skool Collaboration
A two-tone, two-tongued style, of which no two pairs are the exact same.
Daniel Buezo and Weleh Dennis founded Kids of Immigrants in 2016, aiming to create a “movement to recognize that we are all cut from different fabrics but together make a whole,” as they told HYPEBEAST in a September 2020 interview. Now, Kids of Immigrants is celebrating its fifth anniversary — and as part of the festivities it’s reunited with Vans to craft a doubled-up take on the Old Skool.
KOI’s first Vans collaboration — a clean, customizable Lowland CC — opted for a minimal look, but its Old Skool is much more boisterous, presenting a two-tone, two-tongued style with asymmetrical detailing that combines the Old Skool’s two most famous colorways: blue and black. Of note is that each pair is unique, and no two pairs will use the exact same colorblocking scheme. However, all do feature white Jazz Stripes and contrast stitching.
Apart from the 1-of-1 builds, the shoe’s most notable detail is supplied by its stacked tongues. Under each foot’s standard tongue sits an elongated, enlarged tongue complete with a giant, full-color Kids of Immigrants tag. Sail midsoles with black foxing and red rubber heel badges then work with traditional gum outsoles to finalize the look.
When asked what the collaboration means to them and their brand, Buezo enthusiastically stated “This shoe celebrates our commUNITY, 5 years in and so many more to go. It’s important to us that we bring our commUNITY along as our product grows and evolves. This is for the people, by the people 5ever!” Dennis echoed Buezo’s sentiment, saying “The UNITY of a COMMUNITY creates opportunity!”
Expect the Kids of Immigrants x Vans Old Skool to release via the Kids of Immigrants webstore on May 19 at 5:55 PM PST, retailing for $120 USD. They’ll then arrive on Greenhouse come May 26.
Elsewhere in the world of Vans, take a look at C24H’s construction-inspired Eras and Old Skools.
