Vans x Willy Santos

This week ended off with a bang when a deadstock pair Vans Willy Santos pro model shoes were dropped to the front door. These were my first pro skate shoes [albeit different colour] I've ever owned back in 2001 and are definitely not going anywhere. I believe Willy Santos is the first Filipino with their own signature shoe. As a skateboarder though, I'm itching to skate these one more time.

From top to bottom, inside and out, these shoes were definitel a product of the time. Originally released in 1998, they feature a suede and nubuck upper with 3M reflective piping.

The tongue and collar are heavily padded. The triple stitched toe adds reinforcement and the cupsole construction helps reduce impact.

This was a trading card that came with the shoes and actually used it in a presentation for famous Filipinos back in the ninth grade.