How Hip-hop Helped Vans Become A Billion-dollar Brand

The founder of Vans did not intend on making a skateboarding shoe. But as Southern California youth became more interested in skateboarding, Van Doren’s shoe was a perfect fit for their needs.

Fast forward to the late 1980s when skateboarding appealed to a new audience. Skateboarders up and down the East Coast carved out and popularized a new skateboarding genre, which had long-reaching impacts.

Those skaters would also bring their style and music into the sport, ultimately carving out a new fashion trend eventually called streetwear. Around the same time, a Bay Area rap group released an anthem about Van’s sneakers, making the shoe more appealing to young consumers of color.

While Vans had a tumultuous journey as a skateboarding brand, they could capitalize off of the streetwear market, which grew 30 to 40% each year in the early 2010s.

Here’s how the overlap of skateboarding culture and hip-hop changed Vans' consumer base forever.

» Subscribe to CNBC Make It.: cnb.cx/2kxl2rf

About CNBC Make It.: CNBC Make It. is a new section of CNBC dedicated to making you smarter about managing your business, career, and money.

Connect with CNBC Make It. Online
Get the latest updates: cnbc.com/make-it
Find CNBC Make It. on Facebook: cnb.cx/LikeCNBCMakeIt
Find CNBC Make It. on Twitter: cnb.cx/FollowCNBCMakeIt
Find CNBC Make It. on Instagram: bit.ly/InstagramCNBCMakeIt

#CNBC
#CNBCMakeIt

How Hip-Hop Helped Vans Become A Billion-Dollar Brand

#cnbcmakeit #makeit #cnbc #howtomakeit #entrepreneurs #startingasmallbusiness #businesssuccess #smallbusinesses #financetips #careertips #workhacks #lifehacks #moneymanagement #careermanagement #managingbusiness #clothingbrands #sneakers #vans #shoes #vansreviews #vanskids #skateboardingshoe #streetwear #sportsshoes