OTW by Vans x Piet Parra Suede Half Cab

For this collaboration, Parra revisits a shoe that he has a longstanding personal connection with: the Vans Half Cab. Para became a professional skateboarder in the early 1990s when he was sponsored by Vans in the Netherlands. His go-to shoe for skating was, and remains, the Vans Half Cab, making this collaboration in 2024 not only his return to Vans, but also his skateboarding roots.

The OTW by Vans x Piet Parra Suede Half Cab is a vibrant twist on the classic shoe, featuring contrasting premium suede panels in Parra's signature color palette. The overlapping undulating cutouts distort the lines of the original Half Cab® and are in keeping with Parra's fluid and eye-catching creative language seen in his artwork. Co-Branded footbeds in the shoe feature a call to action from Parra, for those who might be distracted by the stylish appearance of the sneaker: “Don't forget to skate in these!”

Parra says of the collaboration: “The Half Cab is my favorite skate shoe. An instant classic embraced by the most skilled and stylish skaters of the time. I’ve skated through dozens of pairs in every incredible colorway. I wanted to honor the original design while adding a personal touch. As the suede version has always been my favorite, I went with that material and added custom-shaped panels to give them an organic feel, aligning with the aesthetics of my artwork and drawings. The colors were chosen to complement this vision. It feels like a full-circle moment.”

For the campaign starring Vans Team Rider Curren Caples, Vans and Parra revisited the 1989 skate video Ban This, a favorite of Parra’s, which features a memorable part by Steve Caballero, who the Half Cab is named after.