Vans OTW Old Skool 36 Vibram ‘Floral’ Available Now

Through carefully selected collaborations and elaborate in-house projects, VF Corp.’s Vans has been picking up momentum after sales slumps in recent years. While the nearly 60-year-old skate brand still has quite a ways to go before it recaptures the hold it had on younger demographics in the 2010s, the label appears poised for a resurgence thanks in large part to styles like the just-released OTW Old Skool 36 Vibram. 

Befitting for the brand’s premium OTW line, the Old Skool 36 Vibram “Floral Black” comes decked out in materials far more elevated than the standard Old Skool model. The biggest update comes on the upper, which swaps the Old Skool’s traditional canvas upper for a jacquard floral textile. 

Metal rivets are found on the toe and heel, which use a full-grain leather, as does the eyestay and jazz stripe branding. The shoe’s rubber midsole features a lightly pre-distressed look, while the outsole has been upgraded with Vibram rubber and a winter-ready traction pattern. 

The Vibram-enhanced OTW Old Skool 36 was also just released in a pre-distressed “Silver Gray” colorway, but the floral pair has been getting the most attention amongst fans on social media.

There are signs that the VF. Corp owned-and-operated brand, and the skate category as a whole, could be on the rebound, but analysts caution that it will take time.

“While we view Vans more as a brand in need of reinvigoration than a complete overhaul, we expect this to be a lengthy process, especially in light of the lead times to impact product, a challenged macro, tariff headwinds, and the need to clean up distribution,” BTIG analyst Janine Stichter said in October following VF’s second quarter results.

Given the premium materials featured on the floral pair, it comes at a higher retail price than the standard $70 Old Skool model. The OTW Old Skool 36 Vibram Floral Black (style code VN000D2GBLA) is priced at $160. The style is available in a wide range of sizes from boy’s 3.5 to men’s 13, although the latter has already sold out on Vans’ e-commerce site.