Unless you were lucky enough to work at Disneyland dressed as one of Walt’s famous characters, you probably won’t know that a pair of Vans was part of the official uniform for cast members throughout the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. The association between the two companies stems from their proximity in Anaheim, California; shortly after a visit to the legendary theme park, the Van Doren family opened their first store just a mile down the road.
Vans produced numerous Disney editions of their footwear during the ’80s — Mickey, Minnie, Donald Duck, Winnie the Pooh and the 101 Dalmatians all made an appearance — and Vans has announced a new range of Disney products across shoes, clothing and accessories for a new generation to enjoy. To mark the launch, House of Vans London is hosting the Disney x Vans exhibition which is packed with memorabilia and classic prints from the Disney archives. The venue is also screening rare Disney footage in its cinema, and a Disney character artist dropped in to create some live Disney drawings at the launch event. There are film screenings throughout the exhibition’s final week; closing date is 14 June.
