We've watched Vans grab the spotlight as the It-girl sneaker of the moment over the last few years (we even wrote them an open love letter ). Between its unending cool-kid collaborations with Opening Ceremony and brilliantly riding the coattails of the nostalgic trend , the SoCal skater brand has strong armed its way towards becoming a fashion world darling. So, why create a new sneaker when Vans, since 1966, has found a formula of styles that's worked so well? On one hand, to fill the gap for the few it hasn't convinced — think: the Nike and Adidas fanatics. On the other hand, this foray into athleisure offers Vans loyalists a functional sneaker that's meant for exploration and lasting comfort, as opposed to a quick trip to the skate park.