Cali Thornhill DeWitt and Vault by Vans Fire Up Foreboding Sk8 His, Chukka Boots and More

Visual artist Cali Thornhill DeWitt has teamed with Vault by Vans for a foreboding collection of footwear and apparel that, according to the artist himself is inspired by the 'insufferable, self-obsessed egos of mankind' and is meant to capture the 'endless spiral of stupidity, the death of privacy and the funeral for the mystery that lies ahead' with its forlorn quotes and bold graphics.

DeWitt – who's most known for his deep roots in the West Coast punk and grunge scene plus his work with Kanye West and Frank Ocean – has revamped five Vans classics: the Old Skool, the Sk8-Hi, the Era, the Slip-On and the Chukka Boot, each made of premium cotton canvas. All of the five silhouettes boast repeating prints of coffins and the Earth from DeWitt's 2019 'Open Casket' exhibition, a nod to his above-mentioned message. Each also features his signature block text with messages like 'LAST NIGHT ON EARTH' (seen on the Chukka Boot) and 'SOCIAL DISASTER' (present on the Old Skool). DeWitt says these sinister messages 'sensationalize the notion of uncertainty'.

A longtime Vans fan, DeWitt has fond memories of buying pairs to skate in from one of the brand's early Topanga Canyon stores back in the 70s. He stated that he approached designing the colab's shoes the same as he would a canvas, flyer or book, namely by looking at them as a 'blank page'. Besides the five footwear options, there's also a small set of collaborative apparel that includes a pullover hoodie, sweatpants and a T-shirt that state 'GLOBAL WARNING' in bold red block text.

You can expect the full Cali Thornhill DeWitt collection to drop at select Vault By Vans retailers come December 23. Prices for each piece have yet to be announced.