(Durban, 30 August 2025) – For nearly sixty years, Vans has been at the centre of skateboarding culture. What began as a small family business in Anaheim, California, continues one of the most recognisable names in streetwear worldwide. As a brand intertwined with the pursuit of self-expression, and as a uniform for counterculture; Vans is a badge of belonging for generations of skaters, musicians, artists, and outsiders who see the brand as a reflection of themselves.
Thousands of miles from Anaheim, Durban became South Africa’s closest parallel to this cultural movement. Skateboarding may have arrived later on South African shores, but by the late 1980s and 1990s, Durban had established itself as a central hub for the scene. The city’s climate – warm and sunny all year round – is South Africa’s kin to the USA’s California; while its urban landscape, with concrete banks, parking lots, and coastal promenades, offered natural terrain that skaters quickly claimed as their own. Though Durban’s skate scene lacked plentiful infrastructure, the scene was forged in DIY and reclaimed city corners, reflecting the same non-conformist spirit that defined skateboarding’s origins in California.
Durban’s skaters developed their own subculture, tied as much to surf and street style as to the board itself. Over the years, the city produced skaters who gained international recognition, while its crews and collectives built a local identity that stood firmly within the global skate narrative. Vans, already entrenched in skate culture worldwide, naturally became part of this fabric – and to wear Vans in Durban is to be in alignment with a decades of global counterculture, a declaration of authenticity, and a connection to independent thinkers and creatives across oceans.
This shared ethos makes KwaZulu-Natal the natural fit for a debut of Vans’ 3.0 retail concept, and on 30 August 2025, Vans launched its newly relocated and reimagined store at Gateway Theatre of Shopping, marking the arrival of this next-generation retail space in KZN for the very first time.
All imagery courtesy of Vans
Vans 3.0 represents a rethinking of retail itself, with the concept space blurring the lines between shopping and experience, offering immersive zones where apparel and footwear are curated around seasonal stories, premium product drops, and cultural touchpoints. The concept is built to both showcase Vans’ products, and to create an environment that reflects the people who live the culture – skaters, artists, musicians, and creators of all kinds; with shared community spaces being crucial in how subculture can best be nurtured.
As part of the festivities, the launch featured exclusive mystery discounts and a customisation workshop. On the day, guests tapped into their creative side at the workshop, where they reimagined the iconic Vans Old Skool with their own twist. Hosted in collaboration with Durban’s own Flair Supply, the workshop brought fresh energy to a timeless silhouette. A limited number of spots were opened up via a competition on Vans social media pages, and winners were invited to join in and walk away with their own one-of-a-kind creations.
Vans’ 3.0 store launch in KZN is a recognition of Durban’s historical role and heritage in shaping counterculture in South Africa, and acknowledges that the city’s skate scene embodies the same creativity and independence that has made Vans what it is today as a far-reaching lifestyle brand, beyond skating and into all forms of creative expression.
Vans has always stood for skate, art, music, and street culture. By bringing its most advanced retail concept to Durban, the store stands as a cultural landmark, linking the DIY ramps of California in the 1970s with the concrete banks of Durban in the 1990s, and pointing towards the future of non-conformist creative lifestyles in South Africa. Vans’ new chapter in KZN is a reminder that creative culture thrives wherever people pick up their medium, find their people and express themselves without limits.
All imagery courtesy of Vans
About Vans
Vans®, a VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, is the original action sports footwear, apparel and accessories brand. Vans® authentic collections are sold in 84 countries through a network of subsidiaries, distributors and international offices. Vans® has over 2,000 retail locations globally including owned, concession and partnership doors. The Vans® brand promotes creative self-expression in youth culture across action sports, art, music and street culture and delivers progressive platforms such as the Vans Park Series, Vans Triple Crown of Surfing®, Vans Pool Party, Vans Custom Culture, and Vans’ cultural hub and international music venue, House of Vans.
Vans, “Off The Wall” Since ’66
The launch of the next-gen retail space featured exclusive mystery discounts and a customisation workshop in collaboration with Flair Supply.
Written by Holly Beaton
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