OTW by Vans x Undercover
2025-10-29
OTW by Vans has joined forces with UNDERCOVER. The collaboration blends Vans’ iconic silhouettes with UNDERCOVER’s distinctive vision, delivering technically crafted pairs. The OTW by Vans x UNDERCOVER Old Skool 36 celebrates Josep Baqué’s imaginary creatures drawings, while the Era 95 features embroidered Jack Russell Terriers, sketched by Jun Takahashi himself.
Josep Baqué (1895–1967), a Barcelona-born municipal police officer, lived a quiet, reclusive life while secretly creating a vast bestiary of over 1,500 intricate drawings. Beginning in the 1930s, he meticulously illustrated hybrid creatures—blending human and animal traits—using ink and gouache, sometimes embellished with gold and silver. His monsters, both grotesque and mesmerizing, ranged from primitive people and giant spiders to serpents, snails, and fantastical fish. He carefully categorized his 454 plates into nine thematic groups, storing them in a handmade case, yet he never sought recognition as an artist during his lifetime.
Baqué’s work remained hidden for nearly 40 years after his death, safeguarded by his niece. In 2007, his extraordinary creations were finally unveiled when the Collège de
‘Pataphysique exhibited 160 of his drawings and published an extensive feature in Viridis Candela. Today, his surreal, otherworldly bestiary stands as a testament to the power of solitary artistic vision, bridging the realms of the bizarre and the sublime.
OTW by Vans x UNDERCOVER is available from October 29. Available for registered users only.