The House Of Vans Backstory

Checking in with Vans legend Tony Alva for this instalment of House Calls

Just like the name Vans, the name House of Vans derives from the company’s original name: the Van Doren Rubber Company.

He may not be at the level—yet—of “billions served,” but Steve Van Doren has definitely flipped thousands of burgers over the years. Like all natural-born chefs, he has a deep-seated need to feed others.

In the beginning, there wasn’t really any plan. The House of Vans organizers just knew they wanted to build a fort, a sort of grown-up fort where people could feel free to do what they wanted, a place that would be lit from within by the imagination.

Next up on House Calls. Music played a huge role in Robert Trujillo’s childhood. His parents and cousins introduced him to a variety of genres, from Motown to Rock, Metal, and R&B.

The original House of Vans Brooklyn found its home alongside New York’s East River, in the neighborhood of Greenpoint.

China-based artist Panda Mei (Mei Huanlin) specializes in illustration, painting, screen printing, and vinyl toys, among other creative pursuits. He’s also a talented and sought-after street artist, having produced several murals for House of Vans Hong Kong. Read on as he shares his process for making one of his murals.

In 2014, House of Vans London opened its doors, taking over a series of five barrel-vaulted tunnels beneath Waterloo Station—one of the city’s busiest rail hubs.

From the very first days of House of Vans, the skate park has always been an essential element. Check out a roundup of some classic skate trick moments from House of Vans around the world.

When you go to see a performance by the legendary heavy metal group GWAR, what should you expect? The professional photographer Laura June Kirsch has been shooting at House of Vans since the beginning and has plenty of stories to tell.

With its Victorian-era architecture and subterranean location beneath Waterloo station, the House of Vans London can exude a spooky steampunk ambience.

London-based artist Eloise Dörr has been drawing and painting since she was a child, but it wasn’t until she picked up skateboarding in 2012 that she landed on the signature character that now imbues much of her work.

Don’t resist change; move with it, and you’ll get to the next thing with a little more joy. That jibes with the Vans mindset. And that was pretty much the guiding M.O. between 2017 and 2018, as the original House of Vans in Brooklyn gave its last call and a new House of Vans emerged in Chicago.

There’s something about the vibe at House of Vans that inspires people to dive into the crowd—literally.

Combining a goofball public persona with a distinctive songwriting style and production sound, Canadian artist Mac DeMarco rose to indie fame unexpectedly quickly.