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In 2013, Cali-based sneaker boutique Blends celebrated its 10th anniversary by unleashing a high-end take on Vans’ iconic Sk-8 Hi silhouette, featuring a bones motif in place of the sneaker label's signature jazz stripe, as well as a back zipper because, well, it was cool. A year later, the Vans Old Skools got the Blends treatment. Both sold out swiftly and, as is par for the course when you have a dope sneaker and limited quantities, now go for ten times as much on the after-market (a pair of the Old Skools can be yours for just $700 on eBay.)
Going off of the "if it ain't broke..." frame of mind, Blends and Vans are back at it again with an all-leather take on the Sk-8 Hi that the sneaker-obsessed are already clamoring for.
What's different about these from the duo's previous releases is that Vans actually let Blends adjust the design of one of its most popular silhouettes—something it rarely, if ever, allows. They also feature a leather that looks and feels good enough to be on a pair of fine Italian dress shoes, and a navy blue/black color scheme that is completely underutilized in the sneaker world. It all makes these new Blends bones a dead giveaway (no pun intended) as to their rare status and a subtle tell to other sneakerheads that you know what you're doing.
The subtle style of these classic kicks makes them easy to wear, but getting a pair will be anything but effortless. They hit shelves Saturday, May 7, and online at blendsus.com at 9 A.M. PST. If you do manage to score a pair, then an early congrats from us on adding some bad-to-the-bone shoes to your rotation.
