OG Skate Photog Atiba Jefferson Is Ushering In Vans' New Era
There are exciting things down the road for Vans, which tapped OG skateboarding photographer Atiba Jefferson to head up its latest side project. After launching its luxury line, OTW last year, the iconic skateboard and streetwear brand has tapped Jefferson to kick things off with Always Pushing, its latest campaign.
And there might not be anyone better or more made for the gig at Vans than Jefferson.
Jefferson is currently a staff photographer for the equally legendary Thrasher magazine, a position he earned by documenting the skate scene for decades. His resume also includes inimitable shots of NBA stars like LeBron James and Kobe Bryant and album covers for Bad Brains, Turnstile, and Tom Morello, two of which have received their own Vans sneaker collabs.
Jefferson gets it. He’s one of the original skaters and photographers to bring the scene to the forefront of pop culture, so who better than to carry the torch forward at Vans?
At Vans, Jefferson will lead the campaign dedicated to Vans’ history, with aims to refresh, reinvent, and reinvigorate the skate brand.
After accepting the position, Jefferson posted on Instagram that back in 1990 he made a $5 deposit in a savings account to buy his first pair of Vans chukka boots. He has history here.
He's “stoked” to work on new projects that push his fave brand into the future by "unlocking a global network of trailblazers," according to a Vans press release.
Already people on Insta are clamoring for Jefferson to bring back the chukka as a first order of business and it’s a pretty welcome idea.
There’s no word yet on exactly what Jefferson will be working on, but whatever is to come is bound to be worth looking at, at the very least.
As for the campaign itself, “Always Pushing is a renewal of Vans’ commitment to pushing skateboarding forward," Drieke Leenknegt, Vans Global Chief Marketing Officer said in a statement. "Like the generation that founded Vans’ non-conforming, ‘Off The Wall’ mindset, we also serve the future generation that looks to skateboarding and the culture that surrounds it to drive progression and positive change.”
So…OG chukka boots all around, right?
