Vault by Vans reunites with California based multidisciplinary artist Julian Klincewicz, for a head-to-toe spring/summer collection. The collection take’s inspiration from his childhood summers – spent in Union Pier, Michigan, among family & friends.
With a multi-dimensional approach, the collection takes direct inspiration from idyllic pieces of Klincewicz’s childhood world: Bike rides to the ice cream store, swimming in lake Michigan, playing hide-and-seek in the dune grass, or sitting around bonfires at night to watch the summer meteor showers…. Eating traditional Polish snacks in the mid-day heat, early evenings playing soccer in the grass compound… The collection is a celebration of the summer spirit – of t-shirts meant to be worn ten times over, a pair of soccer shorts for every occasion, of a single pair of shoes that starts new in May, and by September are beaten down with a summer’s worth of adventures. These adventures, and this spirit of childhood & community – are the central point of reference for the artist’s third collaboration with Vault by Vans.
“This collection for me is really inspired by the world I experienced in Michigan. It is inspired by the feeling, the memories, the spirit it represents,” said Julian. “I tried to approach each piece of footwear and apparel with a kind of humility and practicality in mind, as well as the idea of time. What would I want to wear there? How will it change? How does something like a shoe gain value as it deteriorates? Through the memories you make while wearing them.”
Each piece from the Vault by Vans x Julian Klincewicz footwear and apparel assortment was designed with intention and purpose. Julian tapped into his early career aspirations of becoming a shoe designer, summer experiences in Michigan, and the lifecycle of shoes worn throughout an entire summer to develop his designs. He landed on two central themes that carry throughout the collection: “PURE IMAGINATION”, which represents his childlike optimism built on a world of imagination and “PALE FIRE SKY”, which represents the energy of the more angsty teenage years. Two executions of the OG Authentic SP LX, each with hairy suede uppers, drawcord inspired laces, a marshmallow outsole and siped outsole with “PALE FIRE SKY” printed in gold along the side. The Vault by Vans branding was updated to include a rainbow layered heel scab at the backs of each shoe that when worn with time, reveal a new, different color.
The approach to apparel and accessories assortment is focused to facilitate summertime experiences. The collection includes a collage tee that includes artwork by Julian and an original poem that has been written, typed and edited by Julian entitled “PURE MICHIGAN”. A second tee with “PALE FIRE SKY” printed across the front and a photo of a tire on the back. An homage to his Polish roots and memories spent at his grandmother’s cottage in Michigan, the Vault x Julian K crew socks include the salutation “Dzien dobry” printed amongst a collection of trees inspired by traditional Polish Folk Tapestries.
“My collection is meant to be worn and worn down, the suedes are meant to fade from bright to muted, from vivid to sun-bleached shades, and the shirts are meant to have their sleeves cut and rolled because it’s so hot and humid. The idea with having a large-scale poem on the back of a shirt – is that it could be read on the beach between moments of rest and play. The items are meant to be made individual by the owner - They’re meant to be tools for a summer spent running, playing, adventuring – they’re simply pieces to facilitate experiences,” said Julian Klincewicz.
“I think this is one of the more personal projects I’ve done, certainly the most inspiration I’ve taken from my own experiences… And to that end – music felt like a huge component of the project,” said Julian. “I think with creating this world – it was really, about designing things to facilitate the experiences of summer: A shoe to wear out, a shirt to read… But also, music to listen to. I wanted to really capture some of the spirit of Michigan, of my memories, to put people there inside my memory so they could feel the world, and maybe through that – be reminded of their own summer world. Music felt like the best way to do that. The songs are the score for the world, and the clothing is the costume… We treated the whole campaign as if it were posters for a movie – posters for the experience of summer. And we did a sound track for it too.”
The collection is now available at Allike.
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