Vans handed SZA the creative keys, and she’s taking the brand for a drive into new, unapologetically cool territory. The five-time Grammy winner, record-breaking chart topper, and all-around cultural force has become Vans’ new Artistic Director in a multi-year creative partnership that’s anything but business as usual. This is not another “collab drop.” This is SZA planting her flag in sneaker culture and saying Let’s mix it up.
From Stage Queen to Sneaker Boss
Vans is crowning her one of the most powerful music and style influencers alive, and it’s hard to argue. SZA’s kingdom is founded on rule-breaking from her genre-defying hits to her bold, norm-defying aesthetic. As Artistic Director, she’s diving in headfirst to rethink campaigns, create exclusive products, and infuse every piece with her fearless, dreamy, “you can’t box me in” energy.
“In Vans, I feel free!” SZA gushes. “I’ve been wearing Knu Skools and other styles for years, they’ve always had an ethos I connect with. As Artistic Director, my mission is to show that joy, community, creativity, and fashion are all still intersectional… They stand where I stand, and I’m honored to invite a whole bunch of people to stand Off the Wall with us. ❤️”
Translation? She’s here to make sneakers feel like art, friendship, and rebellion simultaneously.
Debut Campaign: A Love Letter to Becoming
Chapter one of this partnership drops with a brand anthem so lush and dreamy you might almost forget it’s an advertisement, technically. Directed and shot by Sophie Jones, styled by Alejandra Hernandez, the campaign explores vulnerability, self-reflection, and personal style like they’re the hottest new trends on the planet because under SZA’s direction, they kind of are.
Dead center is one of her all-time favorite kicks: the Vans Knu Skool in Black/White. Born in 1997 as the chunky, renegade cousin of the Old Skool™, the Knu Skool features a puffed-up tongue, 3D Sidestripe, and jumbo laces that scream late-90s skate energy. And, yes, you can grab them now at some Vans retailers or Vans.com before they, naturally, sell out.
SZA’s Reign Is Bigger Than Music
This sneaker push comes as SZA is already at her peak in the midst of her cultural takeover. She’s tallied more than 70 billion streams worldwide, won 77 awards, and had her SOS album spend 117 weeks at No. 1 on the Top R&B Albums chart, a record-breaking streak that’s almost difficult to fathom. Her recent Grand National Tour with Kendrick Lamar wasn’t just a hit. It was the highest-grossing duo tour of all time.
And because she obviously doesn’t believe in sleep, she also made her feature film debut this year in One of Them Days, which opened at No. 1 in the box office. Basically, she’s not only winning. She’s sweeping every category.
