Vans Grosso Forever Pack
A Vans rider of 34 years and widely known as the safeguarder of skate customs, the Vans Grosso Forever capsule collection arrives to mark the one year anniversary of the legendary Arcadian-skaters passing and what would have been his 53rd birthday on April 28th. Known for his straight-shooting tell it like it is persona and his duty-bound commitment to skateboarding as a whole, this release epitomises Jeff Grosso’s endearing spirit and the continued heart felt honouring of Vans’ Grosso Forever eulogium, with all proceeds donated in the support of Jeff’s son Oliver.
Dubbed the regular man’s skateboarding legend and an undoubted gatekeeper as to how and why skateboarding became so influential during the early ‘80s and beyond, open-minded Californian Jeff Grosso gifted more than can ever be said to the world of skate. The figurative definition of subversiveness thanks to his timeless styling, his Cheshire-Cat grin and his unobstructed vertaclist accolade, Grosso’s illustrious career began shortly after turning pro at the age of 12, with Vans acting as official sponsor for the skater shortly after he turned 14 in ‘82. Having grown up skating alongside the likes of Lance Mountain and non-conformist Neil Blender, there was little time before Grosso became one of the most recognisable skaters across the US, with his iconic vert-style skating earning itself ample limelight in some of the most infamous edits to date, including the likes of Powell Peralta’s ‘Future Primitive’ and Santa Cruz’s ‘Streets on Fire’ from ‘89. A sponsorship with Julien Stranger’s Anti-Hero followed during the early ‘00s after Grosso’s return to the sport, with his collaborative Offthewall.tv ‘Love Letters to Skateboarding’ web series and his on-going raw commentary of the international skate community serving all-inclusive inspiration to up-and-coming athletes and novice young skaters alike.
A continuation of Vans’ 2020 Grosso Forever hour and a half long montage, this year’s commemorative capsule release pays tribute to the skater’s irreplaceable skate-scene influence with a selection of season-friendly long and short-sleeve tees and two pairs of archival-inspired Vans Sk8-Hi ‘Grosso’ Reissues. Featuring the infamous ‘Sadder Than A Funeral’ photo shot by Bryce Kanight that was featured in Thrasher Magazine back in ‘85, the Vans Grosso Forever T-Shirt and Long Sleeve T-Shirt bring a welcomed sense of black-and-white nostalgia to the coming summer months. To honour the skater’s love for curating quirky content, long-time friend and fellow skateboarding legend John Lucero complements the collection to showcase creative ‘Grosso Forever’ artwork across the Vans Grosso Skate T-Shirt, with the warped checkerboard front-facing print a tribute to Jeff’s signature Sk8-Hi silhouette, its re-issued remastering and the skater’s 50-year legacy skating for the Anaheim crew.
Returning full-circle to honour his above-mentioned part in Bones Brigade pioneers Powell Peralta’s ‘Future Primitive’ edit from ‘85 alongside the likes of Steve Caballero, Mike McGill and Tony Hawk, the Vans Sk8-Hi Reissue sneakers pay referential respect to his shoe-of-choice for the VHS edit and those present on Thrashers memorialised June 2020 cover. Pairing DURACAP reinforcements with premium PopCush advancements for an upgraded re-invention of its classic checkerboard appeal, these black and red check high-tops are both commemorative and creative in their design. Warped black-on-white checkered detailing across the foxings and midsole bring additional referential depth to the signature silhouette, with Reissue uppers crafted from both brush-backed suede and durable canvas boding well with the curved collar shape and tonal stitchings throughout.
For those that recall Jeff’s ‘hippy’ phase and his debuting ad’s for both Santa Cruz and Costa Mesa’s Hosoi Rockets, then these archival-inspired palm print Vans Sk8-Hi Reissues pay tribute to the Californian skater’s West Coast ties and his undeniably quirky persona. Styled with asymmetrical black-on-cream palm tree prints across the reinforced quarters, these high-collared sneakers feature Vans’ reliable DURACAP and PopCush advancements, with the auxetic overlays and piped foxings designed to provide an improved wear regardless of skate style. Crisp white laces are in tandem with the iconic side-wall Vans stripe, accentuated by a monochrome checkered flag-label, with the relaxed palm-tree print casting a vintage overtone that memorializes classic Cali styling and Vans’ ever-evolving blueprint.
Once the shoe of choice for the legendary ‘Mothra’ Jeff Grosso, both Vans Sk8-Hi Reissues round the release off in honour of his boundary-pushing psyche, his extreme resilience and his undisputed passion for skate.