Last September, when the KITH PARK 2018 fall/winter collection was launched, the backstage photo accidentally revealed that a three-way collaboration with mastermind WORLD x KITH x Vans Vault was about to launch. It was the first time that KITH and Vans had signed a collaboration with each other.
KITH is both a shoe shop in New York and an independent street brand founded by Ronnie Fieg in 2011. Ronnie Fieg didn’t come from a technical background. He taught himself how to run. Before he founded KITH, he had already made a name for himself in the industry by launching a number of successful co-branded vintage running shoes as a designer. KITH’s New York store has also been offering the Vans Vault line of high-end side shoes.
Mastermind JAPAN is no stranger to mastermind JAPAN, which returned in 2016 after years of inactivity with a steady and active follow-through, most recently with Vans last week. This time, the three parties jointly will carry out mastermind WORLD as its sub-brand branch line. This branch line is launched at the beginning of the New Year in 2017, aiming to position the global market and differentiate from the original mastermind JAPAN in terms of design, cutting and other aspects.
Under the joint efforts of the three parties, a pair of OG Old Skool LX, OG Slip On LX and two pairs of OG sk8-hi Zip LX were presented in an extremely luxurious style. The Vans Vault premium offcuts offer four pairs of shoes with the “original” look of Vans Originals, premium materials and a more rounded, sleek outsole edge.
One pair of OG sk8-hi Zip LX is covered in black and made of suede on both sides and the heel. The toe cap is rarely used in the design of half-moon bag. The Zip design is also added at the heel. Mastermind WORLD continues the brand’s iconic skull pattern with a silver metal wrap around the neckline of the sk8-hi shoe and a dark embossed “mastermind” Logo in capital English.
The LACES were replaced with a more durable circular braided one, the ends of which were wrapped in silver metal, echoing the design of the eyelet and neckline. Sidestripe is made of premium suede on both sides and printed in goth with the same text on the side of the outsole.
The other pair of OG sk8-hi Zip LX is covered in soft brown leather with a white outsole edge and half-moon uppers. Similar to the black sk8-hi, the neckline of the brown shoes also has a skeleton decoration around it. The difference is that they all appear in gold, and the design of shoelace, metal shoelace eyelet and heel zipper is also changed to gold. The brown sk8-hi is infused with mastermind, KITH Logo and gothic lettering on the upper, and is covered with a soft and comfortable layer of long white fleece, which matches the cold season and gives people a full and luxurious feeling.
The OG Old Skool LX also USES the same design style as the brown sk8-hi. The shoes have a brown leather body with a white rubber sole. The metal decoration is decorated with luxurious gold color, and the interior is also equipped with long white fleece to keep warm. The difference is that the “MASTERMIND” Logo is printed on the toe of the shoe, with countless tiny skull embossed on both sides. The Sidestripe is simply outlined with a car line, and the metal KITH Logo is added at the heel.
The OG Slip-On LX also USES mastermind WORLD’s iconic dark presentation. The vamp and heel are black and dark grey stitched together to create the classic Vans checkerboard pattern, which KITH incorporates into each dark grey. The Slip-On details, such as the elastic bands and sides, are covered in black, while the side Logo is outlined in white with the Vans Logo. The black outsole hem is the same way as the other three pairs of shoes to present a hollowed-out gothic font.
Mastermind WORLD brand positioning has been luxury high-end, this joint KITH will be the theme of this trait, will embroidery, fur, Swarovski Swarovski crystal, metal and other luxury elements are all added to the design, brought a coat, knit hooded shirt, pants and many other joint clothing. Not only that, the two sides of the iconic pattern, Logo, etc. are throughout the joint.
Mastermind WORLD x KITH x Vans Vault the three parties will officially launch KITH, sk8-hi Zip LX at 225 USD, OG Old Skool LX at 185 USD, and OG Slip On LX at 125 USD On January 18 at 11:00 am
