The Parra × Vans collaboration brought together Piet Parra’s distinctive visual language with one of Vans’ most iconic skate silhouettes, the Half Cab. Working closely with Piet and the wider team, I helped translate his artwork into footwear, developing colour, materials and construction details that reflected the playful character of his work while respecting the heritage of the silhouette.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the project was collaborating directly with Piet. The team retooled the Half Cab to introduce subtle, wave-like proportions inspired by the flowing forms found throughout his artwork. We also created a special version of the Half Cab in Piet’s favourite colourway, drawing inspiration from the off-white suede and black foxing of the shoes he wore during his years as a Vans skateboarder.

Alongside the Half Cab, we explored a number of concepts for the Style 36, experimenting with ways to reinterpret the iconic side stripe. Although those ideas couldn’t move forward at the time due to legal considerations, the exploration informed future product directions and highlighted the balance between innovation and preserving one of Vans’ most recognisable design elements.