Skate culture has consequently grown over the past couple years into a particularly hot commodity in fashion’s trend cycle. These forces have made Vans Old Skools a common sight on celebrities, Instagram influencers, and industry insiders. Upscale fashion boutiques, as well as major sneaker retailers, are stocking the style.

Notably, the shoe has unisex appeal, giving it a big audience. Last summer, for instance, men’s magazine GQ picked the Old Skool as the next sneaker to blow up, and a month later fashion blog Who What Wear ran a roundup of women in the shoe at New York Fashion Week.

The Vans business as a whole is currently going strong. Rendle noted that other styles, such as its classic slip-ons, are also seeing substantial growth. The brand, in fact, is the largest and fastest-growing in VF Corp.’s portfolio, which includes outdoor gear maker The North Face and footwear brand Timberland.

At the moment, the Old Skool is a major contributor to Vans’ success. It’s 40th birthday looks like a happy one.

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