“Duke, I can make you a pair of shoes out of that Hawaiian shirt.” – Paul Van Doren, to Duke Kahanamoku
Often, it is a chance meeting that is the progenitor of something beautiful. Serendipity, they call it. In the gorgeous Southern California seaside city of Huntington Beach back in 1966, home to a distinctive beach and active outdoor culture, Paul Van Doren had the privilege of experiencing a truly serendipitous encounter.
Affectionately known as Surf City USA, Huntington Beach is no stranger to surfing virtuosos. It was here that the father of Vans bumped into Hawaiian surf legend, actor, and five-time Olympic medalist Duke Kahanamoku.
The surfing culture within the mainland of the United States tips its metaphorical hat off to Duke for its surge in popularity. His prowess in riding the waves gathered people in droves to attend surfing events in California and on the Atlantic Coast. Footfalls along the Southern California coast intensified thanks to Duke showing off the beauty of the Hawaiian surfing form during 1915 to the 1930s.
So there the man himself was, dressed in a navy blue Aloha print shirt amongst other similarly attired folk, one of whom just so happened to be iconic surfer Fred Hemmings. Navy blue Hawaiian shirts may not be something one would randomly get a muse from, but in 1966 that was exactly what Van Doren experienced.
Now, it isn’t foreign knowledge that surfing is essentially the step-father of skateboarding. For Vans, a brand that has skateboarding imprinted into its DNA, incorporating Hawaiian floral designs- that are arguably the hallmark of the surfing scene- into its shoes seemed a foregone conclusion. Paul Van Doren was inspired by the shirt, so Duke handed over Fred Hemmings’ own (it was at a beach, so it’s doubtful Fred minded). It’s somewhat amusing how something like that began a new business model for the footwear giant.
The original, custom-made Hawaiian floral print Vans shoe has Fred and Duke to thank for its vibrant beach vibe aesthetic. It was classic footwear infused with the Aloha spirit, and certainly something that would be appreciated if recreated in modern times. Which brings us to the present, and to the Authentic Pro ’66.
Donning the Vans The 50th Anniversary Authentic Pro ’66 is akin to wearing a physical manifestation of a momentous time in the footwear giant’s history. Bearing the timeless Vans aesthetic, with its printed textile uppers and original rubber waffle outsoles, the shoe pays homage to that meeting with Duke in the 60s which inspired Paul Van Doren to pair Aloha prints with the casual sneaker.
Of course, as a product within the Authentic Pro range, the ’66 is an upgrade over its original iteration back in the day. The shoe has DURACAP rubber reinforcement underlays in high-wear areas added on to endure the abuse of professional skating. The polyurethane-based ULTRACUSH HD footbed also keeps the foot close to the board while providing Vans’ highest degree of impact cushioning.
It’s an old-school style shoe enhanced by tech of the modern day. Simple and eye-catching, the ’66 presents a design that is destined to see an honourable placement in one’s sneaker collection.
And all it took for this sneaker to be loved was getting Fred to take off his shirt.
