SZA isn't just doing a sneaker with Vans. She's the brand's artistic director, and her first full collection, VANSZA, drops Thursday, October 22. Drop one covers footwear and apparel: a mule version of the Knu Skool, a distressed Authentic Kickdown covered in fish graphics, and a run of clothing that Sole Retriever saw on racks at the VANSZA pop-up during New York Fashion Week.
The shoes are built around how SZA actually wears them. The Knu Skool Mule (VN00119WBA2) keeps the chunky '90s Knu Skool in black suede with the puffy white SideStripe, then cuts the back into a sculpted, enclosed heel so it slips on and stays put. Nice Kicks has it at $100 through Vans and select retailers. The Authentic Kickdown (VN00115AWHT) goes the other way: beat-up canvas, fish all over the upper, and a heel that collapses on purpose, because, as Sole Retriever puts it, SZA has stepped on the backs of her shoes her whole life. Making a shoe for that habit is relatable in a way most celebrity collabs aren't.
Vans debuted everything at a two-day pop-up at 260 Bowery on September 10 and 11, set up as an orange autumn forest with fallen leaves, tree stumps and giant mushrooms. "This collection is really a reflection of how I live and what inspires me every day," SZA said, per Sole Retriever. "I wanted to create pieces that feel comfortable, functional, and expressive, whether you're on a trail, in the city or discovering something new about yourself."
Our take: Vans has had a big couple of years with designer-adjacent pairs, and VANSZA feels like the brand leaning all the way in. The mule is the easy one to want. The fish Authentic is the one people will argue about, and that's usually a good sign. There's also more coming. Drop two is due April 8, 2027 with a new silhouette, the LX Tabi Hiker, a split-toe trail shoe with cable laces in three colorways, plus a RealTree Knu Skool. A tabi hiker from Vans was not on our 2027 bingo card.
The details: VANSZA Drop 1 (Knu Skool Mule VN00119WBA2, Authentic Kickdown VN00115AWHT, apparel), October 22, 2026 through Vans and select retailers. Drop 2 (LX Tabi Hiker, RealTree Knu Skool), April 8, 2027.
At ONENESS: The Vans LX Authentic 44 Kickdown SZA "Fish": Coming soon to ONENESS. Until then, shop Vans at ONENESS.
Photos and report via Sole Retriever (VANSZA pop-up, lineup and both drop dates). Knu Skool Mule price and style code via Nice Kicks (Oct 1). Additional context from Footwear News.
