Vans has officially announced a multi-year creative partnership with one of music’s most influential voices of the moment, SZA. In her new role as Vans’ Artistic Director, SZA will collaborate closely with the brand to reimagine future campaigns and design exclusive collections.
SZA is known for her cultural influence, her work resonates with a generation navigating resilience, vulnerability, and self-expression. Her genre-defying sound mirrors her personal style: authentic, fearless, and experimental. SZA rejects conformity. She uses her platform to empower young people to embrace their individuality and own style. In many ways, she embodies the style of Vans’ Off The Wall ethos, leading with intention, self—acceptance, and a desire to inspire others to do the same.
”In Vans I feel free!” says SZA. “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. That humanity, culture, and connection are still the access points. I’ve learned that bravery and curiosity are the cures for uncertainty, it’s a lifestyle and Vans champions that spirit. They stand where I stand, and I’m honored to invite a whole bunch of people to stand Off the Wall with us”
A Campaign Rooted in Becoming
To mark the start of the partnership, Vans and SZA have unveiled an original brand anthem, a cinematic ode to the beauty of becoming. The debut campaign is dreamlike and deeply personal, weaving together self-reflection, art, and style to celebrate vulnerability as a strength. At the heart of the visuals is one of SZA’s favourite Vans silhouettes, the Knu Skool in Black/White.
Shot in London by director and photographer Sophie Jones, and styled by Alejandra Hernandez, the campaign captures SZA’s distinctive aesthetic in a way that feels intimate.
The Knu Skool: A ‘90s Classic Reimagined
First released in 1997, the Knu Skool was Vans’ bold reinterpretation of the Old Skool, a design built for the evolving skate culture of the late ‘90s. This latest version retains that rebellious DNA but introduces a modern polish. It exaggerated details, the puffed-up tongue, oversized chunky laces, and distinctive 3D sidestripe, make it stand out.
SZA: More Than Music
SZA is a five-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and now artistic director for Vans. Since releasing her debut album Ctrl in 2017, SZA has grown from a rising star into one of the most acclaimed and influential artist of her generation. Her follow-up album SOS shattered streaming records and dominated the chatts for months.
Her impact is reflected in her awards, multiple Grammy Awards, numerous Billboard Music Awards, BET Awards, MTV VMAs, and American Music Awards, alongside historic milestones, such as headlining one of the most successful duo tours ever with Kendrick Lamar. Beyond music, she has also ventured into acting with a debute role in the 2025 box office hit One of Them Days.
