UNDERCOVER x OTW by Vans Makes the Classic Slip-On 98 a Canvas and the Sk8-Hi a Blueprint
Two iconic silhouettes, one collab: Emma Bennett’s canvas work and Jun Takahashi’s sharp architectural lines reshape Vans’ heritage forms.
Name: UNDERCOVER x OTW by Vans Slip-On, UNDERCOVER x OTW by Vans Sk8-Hi
Colorway: Black, Egret White
SKU: VN000Z0ZBLK, VN000Z10BLK
MSRP: $110 USD
Release Date: Available now
Where to Buy: Vans
OTW by Vans and UNDERCOVER have delivered a two-silhouette collaboration that positions footwear as a vehicle for fine art and considered construction. The collection pairs the Classic Slip-On 98 and Sk8-Hi with distinct design treatments, each reflecting a different dimension of UNDERCOVER’s creative output — one rooted in painterly expression, the other in Takahashi’s instinct for sharp, restrained form.
The Classic Slip-On 98 takes the more visually striking direction. Emma Bennett’s oil paintings “Whence You Came” and “Ardour” are placed across the left and right vamps respectively, effectively converting the shoe’s upper into a split canvas. Bennett, a British artist known for still-life work defined by high-contrast composition, had her paintings incorporated into jackets, tailored sets, and accessories throughout UNDERCOVER’s S/S 2026 Men’s Collection, “but beautiful 4.5… but beautiful for the rebel man.” The Slip-On 98 extends that runway application to footwear, translating Bennett’s painterly language onto a silhouette that, by design, foregrounds its upper above all else. The low-profile, laceless construction of the Slip-On platform removes structural distraction, letting the artwork read without interruption across the vamp.
The Sk8-Hi operates on a different register. Where the Slip-On 98 prioritises surface and image, the Sk8-Hi is shaped by Jun Takahashi‘s approach to line and form. The redesign introduces sharper geometry and a clean, precise update to the silhouette’s established proportions. Founded by Takahashi in 1990, UNDERCOVER built its identity in Tokyo’s underground scene through a fusion of street fashion, art, and music subcultures before expanding to Paris Fashion Week.
Together, the two pairs reflect the broader positioning of OTW by Vans as a design-forward sub-label oriented toward collaborators working at the intersection of culture, craft, and creative discipline.
