In 2017, there was a bit of controversy surrounding Ian Connor when he released Revenge x Storm. Not only was he a target of Amber Rose's #MeToo movement, he also was accused of ripping of the Vans Old Skool. The shoe he "designed" was a spitting image of the Vans Old Skool, but was revamped with premium materials and replaced the Vans stripe with a lightning bolt.
The brand was extremely successful selling $200 models of the sneaker and selling out almost immediately when they first dropped. The concept worked because Ian Connor was able to leverage the hype around his name to create a cult like fan base that would buy his overpriced sneakers. Now in 2023 Vans is flipping the bird to Ian by adding their own lightning bolt to their beloved Old Skool and mass producing it. One distinctive feature of the Old Skool Bolt shoe is the use of linework on the midsole to form a thunderbolt shape on both sides of the midfoot's upper. The shoe sticks to the Old Skool designs roots implementing the jazz stripe and a canvas upper. These four color options all feature a white base color, complemented by contrasting blue, red, green, or black.
If you’re looking to scoop up a pair of the Vans Old Skool Bolt's you can find them now at Footlocker.com and select Vans retailers for $75. The pair first dropped on March 14th, 2023 and is making it way onto the Vans shelves as we speak. For more on Vans and to stay up to date with the latest releases and sneaker news, connect with us on Instagram and Twitter.
Photos via Vans