Vans X Chris Johanson

Johanson’s swirl pattern also makes an appearance on the Authentic SF and the Trek Slip-On, Vans’ new functional all-rubber silhouette engineered to take anything thrown at it. The all-terrain Johanson Destruct SF— a low-profile, functional style—features organic cotton uppers with knurled rubber overlays for durability, an exaggerated reverse rubber lug outsole that provides extra traction, and is offered in slate and antique white, with the artist’s whimsical surfing images across the upper.

Both the Authentic SF and Destruct SF contain less than 1% by outsole weight of material scraps from the factory cutting floor, which have been chopped up and inserted into the outsoles, ultimately diverting these materials from a landfill.

The collection’s apparel begins with the Johanson Swirl Boardshort, crafted with 10% Elastane four-way stretch recycled polyester and featuring the same unique swirl pattern and an antique white waistband and pocket closure. A variety of Johanson-illustrated tees round out the offering, along with a floral woven shirt made of 80% organic cotton, a bag, a snapback hat, and a fleece pullover hoodie in vintage black with a hand-drawn smiley face and reminder to “Be Cool to Your Living World”.

Developing his distinctive drawing style and dry-yet-sharp sense of humor in his native San Jose, California, Chris Johanson honed his technique painting skateboards and houses, and crafting a 1980s skateboarding and art zine, “Karmaboarder,” helping shape what would later become his best-known initial work. In the late ‘80s, Chris moved to San Francisco’s Mission District, immersing himself in the local art scene, drawing Sharpie cartoons on lamp posts and bathroom stalls. His art was seen by a wider audience in 1994, when he created a board graphic run for Anti-Hero, a then-fledgling brand. Later, he achieved international fame after participating in the 2002 Whitney Biennial exhibition and went on to win the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art’s SECA Art Award the following year. Since 2004, he has made his home in Portland, Oregon with fellow artist and wife Jo Jackson.

The Vans x Chris Johanson collection is available now at Vans retailers and online.