Vault by Vans and Julian Klincewicz take inspiration from idyllic summer to launch new collection

Vault by Vans teams up with California-based multidisciplinary artist Julian Klincewicz for a head-to-toe spring/summer collection. Pale Fire Sky” is inspired by his childhood summers spent with family and friends in Union Pier, Michigan.

With a multi-dimensional approach, the collection finds its inspiration directly from idyllic pieces of Klincewicz‘s childhood world; bike rides to the ice cream parlour, swimming in Lake Michigan, playing hide and seek in the dune grass or sitting around campfires at night to watch the summer meteor shower. Eating traditional Polish sandwiches in the midday heat, playing football in the evening on the grassy enclosure…

A celebration of the spirit of summer. Of T-shirts meant to be worn ten times, of a pair of football shorts for every occasion, of a single pair of shoes that start out new in May and by September are worn out with a summer’s worth of adventures. These adventures and this spirit of childhood and community are the central reference point of the artist’s third collaboration with Vault by Vans.

“For me, this collection is really inspired by the world I lived in Michigan. It’s inspired by the feeling, the memories and the spirit that it represents,” says Julian. “I tried to approach each piece of footwear and clothing with a kind of humility and practicality in mind, as well as the idea of time. What would you want to wear there? How is it going to change? How does something like a shoe gain value as it deteriorates? Through the memories that are created by wearing them.”

Each piece in the Vault by Vans x Julian Klincewicz footwear and apparel range has been designed with intention and purpose. Julian drew on his aspirations to become a shoe designer; his summer experiences in Michigan and the lifecycle of shoes worn throughout the summer to develop his designs.

He focused on two central themes that run throughout the collection: ‘PURE IMAGINATION’, representing his childlike optimism built on a world of imagination and ‘PALE FIRE SKY’, representing the energy of the angsty teenage years. The Vault by Vans footwear offering includes three jewel-tone furry suede executions of the OG Style 31 LX; complete with black contract stitching, laces and an all-black sole. ‘PURE IMAGINATION’ is printed in gold foil across each quarter. Two executions of the OG Authentic SP LX, each with furry suede uppers, coronavirus-inspired laces, marshmallow soles and foil soles with ‘PALE FIRE SKY’ printed in gold foil along the side.

In addition, the Vault by Vans line was updated to include a heel crust with rainbow overlays on the back of each shoe that, over time, reveals a new and different colour.

The focus of the clothing and accessories range is on facilitating summer experiences. The collection includes a collage T-shirt featuring Julian‘s artwork and an original poem that has been written, typed and edited by the artist, entitled ‘PURE MICHIGAN’. A second T-shirt with ‘PALE FIRE SKY’ printed on the front and a picture of a tyre on the back. A tribute to his Polish roots and memories spent at his grandmother’s country home in Michigan, the Vault x Julian K crew socks include the greeting ‘Dzien dobry’ printed amongst a collection of trees inspired by traditional Polish folk tapestries.

“My collection is meant to be worn and worn out. The leathers are meant to fade from bright to dull. From lived-in to sun-bleached tones. Shirts are meant to have their sleeves cut off and rolled up because it is so hot and humid. The idea of having a large-scale poem on the back of a shirt is that it can be read on the beach between moments of rest and play. The items are meant to be made individually by the owner; they are tools for spending the summer running, playing, adventuring…. They are simply pieces that facilitate experiences,” says Julian Klincewicz.

To coincide with the collection, Julian teamed up with his friend and multidisciplinary artist Deaton Chris Anthony to write, record and produce two original tracks inspired by this project.

The H. team travelled to Milan to discover the collection up close and talk to Julian in person. A unique event where we were able to enjoy all the details that make the Vault by Vans x Julian Klincewicz union exclusive. Slide down the gallery below and live this unforgettable experience up close: