Are Vans Slip-Ons Skater Shoes The New Sambas?

4th Nov 2026

When Alessandro Michele revealed his second Valentino collection for autumn/winter 2025, it was against the backdrop of a public restroom drenched floor-to-ceiling in the Roman house’s signature red. But what was more unexpected, perhaps, was the footwear cameo that accompanied Michele’s lace, floral and pussy-bow creations: Vans’s checkerboard slip-ons.

While we haven’t exactly been short of collaborations over the last decade, there was something about this particular pairing that felt notable: not only reflecting Valentino’s continuing desire to tap into street culture as a heritage brand, but also the high-fashion transformation of the iconic skater shoe.

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The first Vans store opened in California in 1966, but it wasn’t until the 1970s that the brand started to be embraced by the skater community, thanks to its high-traction soles and casual-cool design. In 1977, Vans’s classic slip-ons were introduced, and, five years later, the checkerboard iteration shot to fame after being featured in coming-of-age comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Vans went onto become a teen staple during the “sk8er-boi”-obsessed late ’90s and Noughties, and became a firm fixture in the wardrobes of high-schoolers and A-listers alike.

“The resurgence is being fuelled by a cultural return to authenticity. Consumers want product that carries real heritage and doesn’t need explanation. The slip-on, with its checkerboard graphic, is one of the purest expressions of that,” explains Ricardo Lajoie, global chief merchant at Vans. “The world has shifted toward ease, versatility and self-expression. Flat, comfortable shoes have become central to how people define style.”

The brand may have slipped out of the spotlight in the intervening years, but over the last few seasons we’ve seen a steady trickle of A-listers – from Emily Ratajkowski to Gigi Hadid – re-embrace the checkerboard shoe. Elsewhere, on the streets of fashion week, a new cohort of style insiders found themselves gravitating towards the shoe’s nonchalant feel, with Vans’s monochrome print spotted across all four fashion capitals. Are Vans to 2026 what Sambas were to 2023? Discuss.

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Content creator Marianne Theodorsen, who is known for her eclectic and colourful Scandi style, is a loyal Vans-wearer and often snapped in her beloved checkerboard pair at fashion week. “They’ve been my go-to for years and I’ve already worn out several pairs. They add the perfect sprinkle of casual-cool to my outfits – and they’re super comfy, let’s not forget about that,” she says.

It’s a testament to the shoe’s timelessness that it has so easily adapted to different decades – just like the Adidas three-stripe or Converse lace-up, the smallest styling tweak has the ability to make it feel immediately timely. “If you love them, you can wear them with anything,” Theodorsen continues. “For fall I love chunky knits, a classic coat and vintage jeans, but I also love pairing them with more unexpected items, such as a classic Chanel suit or tube socks and a cute dress. Anything goes really.”

Styling-wise, for winter 2026, there are a number of different routes you can go down. The new-gen prep, as championed by the likes of Miu Miu and Celine, sees pleated midi-skirt and V-neck jumper pairings come to the fore – a buttoned-up duo that lends itself perfectly to the “high-school dropout” undertones of a Vans checkerboard shoe. Elsewhere, we’re enjoying the fashion crowd’s high-low spins on the humble trackie – think grey sweats layered under a statement shearling coat – which would, admittedly, look great with a Carrie Bradshaw-coded heel for date night, but even better with a sturdy slip-on for a casual weekend meet-ups with friends.

Whatever look you go for, there’s no end to how you can wear your Vans for autumn/winter 2026. Scroll down to see how we’re styling ours for the season ahead.