Vans Authentic Refract Black | Piet Parra Is Collaborating With Vans On His Favorite Skate Shoe

Earlier this year, Parra and Vans hopped on the newswire with images of a collaborative Half Cab in honor of World Skateboarding Day. As it turned out, the grey colorway previewed back in June was for friends and family only and did not see a broad public drop. However, the duo is poised to release a likeminded pair in the very near future.

Shown here via official images, the design maintains the wavy overlays of the F&F pair but introduces a more intriguing assortment of colors, embellishing its layered, Parra-esque upper. While the F&F colorway made use of red, white, and blue in a nod to the French Flag (it was first spotted during Paris Fashion Week), this pair features hallmark Parra colors similar to their trainers vans ultrarange exo hi vn0a5ks6fs81 marshmallow from 2021. Not without special branding, the tongue and lateral side feature Half Cab tags with bird graphics and text reading “1992”; the year the Half Cab was created. Additionally, as the Skate Half Cab, the shoes come with PopCush insoles and an added sliver of rubber around the sole for durability.

For Piet Parra, the project signifies a huge milestone. Before his name became known in art and sneaker circles, Parra was a professional skateboarder sponsored by Vans in the 1990s. Reflecting on the project, Parra states: “The Half Cab is my favorite skate shoe. An instant VN0A5I37BEL1 embraced by the most skilled and stylish skaters of the time. I’ve skated through dozens of pairs in every incredible colorway. I wanted to honor the original design while adding a personal touch. As the suede version has always been my favorite, I went with that material and added custom-shaped panels to give them an organic feel, aligning with the aesthetics of my artwork and drawings. The colors were chosen to complement this vision. It feels like a full-circle moment.”

Pairs are currently set to release via OTW by Vans and select retailers on September 24th, retailing for $135. See official images below and take advantage of the purchase links in our “Where To Buy” section upon arrival.

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