Like the majority of Highsnobiety readers, you've likely seen and worn ample pairs of Vans sneakers in your lifetime. They’re classic shoes for classic, like-minded people, like us.
However, I bet that it’s highly unlikely that you'll have slipped into a pair of Vans as stylish as these tasty custom jobs by Japanese designer Mastery Atelier.
Taking a swing at the Vans Skate Authentic and Vans Slip-On Classics, Mastery Atelier has turned two inherently traditional-looking skate sneakers into formal everyday shoes by way of a few tasteful, albeit minor, tweaks.
The Authentic, for instance, has been given a full grain leather flap that’s been hand-cut and hand-sewn to its upper.
While the Slip-On, which is of the classic Checkerboard kind of course, features a duo of opulent leather tassels sourced from the famed luxury French tannery, Alran.
Although the tweaks to each classic Vans sneaker are minor, they change each shoe’s make up entirely.
Suddenly, the Authentic goes from a gritty skate shoe to a formal canvas sneaker akin to some from the Wales Bonner conveyor belt. While the Slip-On, a shoe synonymous with a rock’n’roll aesthetic, is now fit to be worn on virtually any given occasion, thanks to a few tassels.
On its website, Mastery Atelier describes itself as “a brand derived from the expression and communication of beauty and aesthetics through meticulous attention to detail,” which feels pretty on-point.
Although in layman’s terms — which is what we’re all here for — Mastery Atelier has simply taken two excellent and well-loved classic Vans sneakers and with a few alterations made them even better.
