Okay, so I had this idea rattling around in my head for a bit. You see those Rick Owens kicks, right? The ones that kinda look like chunkier, maybe darker versions of classic sneakers. And then you got your standard all-black Vans, like the Old Skools or Authentics. Solid shoes, everyone knows ’em.
Getting Started
So, I was thinking, how close could you get that vibe, you know, the Rick Owens feel, just using a pair of plain all-black Vans? It started as just a thought experiment, really. I grabbed a pair of my old beat-up all-black Vans. They were already pretty worn, which I figured might actually help get that sort of grungy, lived-in look some of those designer shoes have.
The Process – Laces and Shape
First thing I looked at were the laces. Rick Owens shoes often have those thick, sometimes cream or off-white laces. Standard Vans laces are thin and usually pure black or white. So, I went and found some thicker, wider laces. I tried a creamy off-white color first.
- Swapped out the thin black laces.
- Threaded in the thick, creamy ones.
- Tried lacing them differently, maybe wrapping them around the ankle once before tying, trying to mimic that look.
Honestly, just changing the laces made a surprising difference. It immediately shifted the profile a bit. The thicker laces filled out the eyelets more, gave it a heavier look.
Then I thought about the shape. Rick Owens sneakers often have a bulkier tongue and a more pronounced silhouette. You can’t really reshape a vulcanized Vans shoe easily without actually destroying it, so I didn’t go crazy. I tried messing with the tongue, pulling it up higher, trying to make it stand out more. Didn’t really stick, the Vans tongue just kinda flops back down.
Wear and Tear (Accidental and Intentional)
I wore them around like this for a few weeks. Did my usual stuff, walking around town, couple of gigs. The creamy laces got dirty fast, which kinda added to the look I was accidentally going for. The Vans themselves, being beaters already, just got more beat up. Some scuffs here and there.
I didn’t intentionally distress them much beyond the lace swap and regular wear. I thought about roughing up the edges or something, but decided against it. Wanted to see what natural wear would do alongside just the lace change.
Final Thoughts
So, what’s the verdict? Did my all-black Vans magically turn into Rick Owens dupes? Absolutely not. Not even close when you look carefully.
Here’s the thing:
- The basic shape is fundamentally different. Vans are low-profile, skate shoes. Rick Owens designs are usually much chunkier, different proportions, often with unique sole units. You can’t fake that with laces.
- The materials are worlds apart. The canvas and rubber on Vans are standard. The leather, construction, and details on Rick Owens shoes are on another level (and price point reflects that, obviously).
- The vibe is close-ish, from a distance, maybe. Changing the laces definitely nudged the feeling slightly towards that aesthetic. It made the Vans look less like standard skate shoes and a bit more… intentional? Different, anyway.
It was a fun little experiment, though. Cost me basically nothing except the price of some fat laces. It proved that sometimes a small change can alter the look of something familiar. But yeah, Rick Owens are Rick Owens, and Vans are Vans. Trying to make one into the other only highlights how distinct they really are. Still gonna wear my Vans though, they’re comfortable beaters. And maybe I’ll keep the fat laces in.
