Pioneering skate brand Vans is collaborating with an equally influential hip-hop group for sneakers set to arrive spring ’18.
During the weekend’s ComplexCon event in Long Beach, Calif., A Tribe Called Quest founding member Ali Shaheed Muhammad and longtime group associate Consequence revealed a future collaboration with the skate brand.
Known as the A Tribe Called Quest x Vans Sk8-Hi “Bonita,” the special makeup is an homage to the group’s 1990 single “Bonita Applebum,” which appeared on their debut album, “People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm.”
Although the group is known for its often vibrant album artwork, this style is an exercise in simplicity, with premium materials and custom branding. The shoe boasts a cream-colored upper that mixes canvas with suede, leather and cotton laces. “Bonita Applebum” branding appears on the vamp in scrawled handwriting.
But the “Bonita” Sk8-Hi isn’t the only reason fans of the group should be excited for the months to come. According to an Instagram post from A Tribe Called Quest’s official account, this model is only the first of a wider collection, although the rest of the range has yet to be unveiled.
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Over the years, Jordan Brand has released several A Tribe Called Quest-inspired sneakers, and the group has created unreleased collaborations with the likes of Fila and Puma, but the upcoming Vans release will be the first officially branded collab to hit retailers.
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