Tag: Vans

  • The Drop: Mattias Gollin x Vans the Art Basel Moment

    The Drop: Mattias Gollin x Vans the Art Basel Moment

    On December 5, 2025, at Art Basel Miami (often loosely discussed as “Art Basel”), streetwear and art collided once again this time through the lens of masterful craftsmanship by Mattias Gollin. The release: a reimagined version of Vans’ classic Authentic sneaker, rebranded “Authentic,” hand embellished with pearls and crystals and constructed in Italy.   

    With only appointment only in person purchasing available, and a retail price of US $750, this drop was engineered to be as exclusive as it was expressive not just a sneaker release, but a limited edition art statement.  

    What Makes It Special: Craftsmanship, History & Hype

    • Hand crafted luxury rooted in footwear heritage  Gollin has deep ties to Italy’s footwear industry and approaches shoes as canvases for artistic expression.  
    • Turning a skate classic into wearable art  By overlaying pearls and crystals on the Vans Authentic, Gollin transforms a humble, utilitarian sneaker into something ornamental and sculptural.  
    • Scarcity amplifying desirability The appointment only release, limited stock, and high price point create a built in rarity, fueling hype and prestige among collectors and culture savvy sneakerheads.  

    Why This Collab Matters (Especially for Culture & Streetwear)

    This isn’t just another sneaker drop it’s a cultural statement. Gollin’s work straddles the line between streetwear and high fashion luxury, challenging conventions around what constitutes “cool,” “art,” and “wearable design.” By elevating a mass market silhouette (Vans Authentic) through painstaking hand craft and artisan detail, the collaboration disrupts both skate culture and high fashion norms.

    For the collector, it’s a trophy. For the fashion forward, a daring risk. For the art lover, a piece of wearable sculpture.

    What It Signals for the Future of Sneakers & Art

    • Expect more cross pollination between sneaker brands and independent designers/artists like Gollin especially those whose roots lie in craftsmanship and heritage rather than hype alone.
    • The line between “sneaker” and “luxury accessory” is getting thinner. Historically casual shoes are becoming canvases, blurring fashion categories.
    • Rarity and exclusivity not just limited colorways but limited quantity, handcrafted detail, and high art positioning may become the new standard for “premium” sneaker drops.

    by PINES STUDIO

  • Pearls in Motion : Redefining Sneaker Culture with the Pearl Vans

    Pearls in Motion : Redefining Sneaker Culture with the Pearl Vans

    In an industry where sneakers often chase hype through collaborations and colorways, the Pearl Vans arrived as something else entirely, a disruption with elegance. What began as an experiment quickly spiraled into a cultural artifact. Pearls, long a symbol of luxury, purity, and eternity, were suddenly reimagined not in jewelry boxes or runways, but on the canvas of everyday footwear.

    Italian designer Mattias Gollin who has cultivated a visual narrative through his Instagram describes the spark as a question that wouldn’t let go: “How can I take something timeless, precious, almost sacred and place it into a cultural icon?” That tension the sacred versus the everyday, the eternal versus the street gave birth to one of the most talked-about sneaker drops in recent memory.

    For Gollin, pearls aren’t just decoration. They’re personal mythology. “An oyster turns an intruder into something precious,” he explains. “I connect with that. I use emotional factors as fuel, transforming them into creativity. Pearls feel like amulets, symbols of eternity and protection.” By embedding them into sneakers, he wasn’t just redesigning footwear; he was fusing two worlds that rarely meet.

    The first drop of the Pearl Vans was less a collection than a ripple in the culture. It wasn’t designed to fit the fashion system’s seasonal rhythms. “I don’t really make collections,” Gollin admits. “My creativity moves with my own flow. When the energy feels right, that’s when I create.” That refusal to play by industry rules became part of the story, fueling both the mystique and the demand.

    Still, there’s always a balance between the personal and the cultural. “I start with something deeply personal symbols, memories, vibrations and then I project it outward, imagining how culture will absorb it and remix it,” he says. “If it’s only personal, it risks being self-indulgent. If it’s only cultural, it feels hollow. The magic happens when my story becomes a mirror for someone else’s.”

    As the Pearl Vans move into their second chapter, Gollin is clear but reserved. “The story has just begun. No spoilers.” What’s clear is that this isn’t just about sneakers anymore. It’s about rewriting how objects can carry memory, symbolism, and story, one pearl at a time.

    At Studio by Pines, stories like the Pearl Vans remind us that culture isn’t just built through trends it’s shaped by symbols that carry weight, history, and emotion. What began as an experiment has become a movement, a reimagining of how personal mythology can slip into the everyday. And like the pearls themselves, this story will only grow more luminous with time.