February 27, just days before Frieze LA, OTW by Vans and
S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA., the clothing and accessory collection by American artist Sterling Ruby, redefined the event experience. The moment in Downtown Los Angeles merged skateboarding, design and art for one-night-only, celebrating the communities that push culture forward.
Attendees were the first to view Vans' skateable installation, designed by PLAYLAB, INC., in collaboration with Sterling Ruby. A recreation of the steep incline hills made famous by San Francisco skateboarding, the temporary monument set the stage for a night of musical performances by SALEM and Paris Texas, a DJ set by Ty, and a live skate exhibition by Vans athletes including Curren Caples, Efron Danzig, Elijah Berle, Nick Michel, Roman Pabich, Rowan Zorilla, and Zion Wright.
Alongside Bracken Darrell, President and CEO of VF Corporation, Drieke Leenknegt, Global CMO of Vans, and Ian Ginoza, VP of Creative Direction for OTW by Vans, guests included Sterling Ruby, Charles Melton, Sky Ferreira, Rafferty Law, Landon Barker, Deb Never, Kilo Kish, Kelsey Lu, Delfin Finley, Easy Otabor, Bella Poarch, Tony Alva, Kunichi Nomura, Eyedress, Leo Reilly, Ganna Bogdan, Simona Kunst, Jack Donoghue, Louie Pastel, Felix, Lizzie Armanto, Beatrice Domond, Atiba Jefferson, Ako Jefferson, Gabrielle Richardson, Jan Gatewood, Arrow de Wilde, Caroline Ricke, Melanie Schiff, Ella Snyder, Whitmer Thomas, Anders Holm, Tavia Bonetti, Shane Gonzalez, Alex "2Tone" Erdmann, Pat Tenore, Sandy Kim, Julian Klincewicz, Daria Kobayashi Ritch, Don "Nuge" Nguyen, Giovanna Ramos, Geoff Rowley, Alex Papke, Young Ji Lee, Simona Kust, and Becky Akinyode.
OTW by Vans x S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. will be available in limited quantities through a curated selection of global wholesale partners, beginning Thursday, February 29, at 9am PST/12pm EST. Additional releases across footwear and apparel will follow in the coming seasons, with a second drop arriving before the end of 2024.
Imagery
Photo credits noted in folder names
About OTW by Vans
OTW by Vans is the most aspirational expression of Vans rooted in celebrating skateboarding's impact on every facet of culture. OTW by Vans pushes the boundaries of product design and brand experiences with innovators from skateboarding, art, fashion, design, and entertainment. OTW by Vans products are sold through and a curated selection of global wholesale partners and at otw.vans.com.
About S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA.:
S.R. STUDIO. LA. CA. is a ready-to-wear clothing and accessories collection by multidisciplinary artist Sterling Ruby. Evolved from years of experiments in handworked textiles, cultural inquiries into traditional American craft, and collaborations with Raf Simons at his eponymous label, Christian Dior, and Calvin Klein, the brand premiered in 2019 as Special Guest of Pitti Immagine Uomo no. 96 in Florence, Italy. Ruby was subsequently invited by the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode to participate in Paris Fashion Week's 2021 Couture season. That same year work from the collection was featured prominently in The Costume Institute's "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About Sterling Ruby:
Sterling Ruby is an American artist based in Los Angeles, California. He is known internationally for his work in a large variety of media from sculpture, ceramics, video and collage, to photography, textiles, and painting. His work is included in many prominent public collections including Museum of Modern Art, New York; Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Los Angeles County Museum of Art; Tate Modern, London; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris and Moderna Museet, Stockholm.
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