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Nice Kicks: Since the 2009 launch, how have you seen the collection’s popularity grow?
Todd Harder: It’s exploded. One of the hard things is that we can’t get enough Pendleton fabric for all that we need. We’re doing about 800 pairs this year for the event. It’s nice to have it as a smaller, exclusive run but it’d be really sweet to be able to get them out to everyone in Indian country. As a minority, there’s not a lot of us left on the big scale of things. I think the last census put us at about five million people. As Indians, if it sits around the house too long we put beads on it or we have Pendleton on it. I’ve got a Pendleton iPad cover! It’s just one of those things. When we came out with these shoes I told Steve that there are some grandmothers in that line that don’t know what Vans is but they know what Pendleton is. They want some of those Slip-Ons so that they can go to bingo and have the coolest shoes on their reservation. They were in line with their stools just waiting to get those shoes.
Nice Kicks: Collaboration shoes tend to get stowed away, but skate shoes are usually worn into the ground. Are kids at the All Nations Skate Jam skating or storing these kicks?
Todd Harder: They’re a collectible. That’s their fine shoes. You have to look at the demographic, they probably don’t have the access or the money to get to a lot of the collectible shoes. That’s been one of the sweet things to see these kids get and take care of these shoes. They’re gonna wear them. Every year, Steve puts out a limited edition matching shirt and you’ll see these kids at other events in Indian country putting them on like their Sunday best. They’re wearing them out to their A occasions. It’s pretty cool, because a lot of those kids don’t ever get the opportunity to have something that nobody else does.
Nibwaakaawin x Vans 2013 CollectionNice Kicks: Looking back at past collections, what makes this year’s run different?
Todd Harder: They always tend to have their own appeal. The pattern that we’ve got this time is called the Morning Star. There are different stories that go with the Morning Star. The Morning Star represents a new beginning in life, like the beginning of the day. Sometimes you just have to let the night go by, that darkness that you’ve lived in, and when that Morning Star appears and you start that new day before sunrise it’s a new beginning for you. We have a great oral traditional of handing stuff down, that’s how we’ve kept our traditions alive over the centuries. This kind of just adds to it. Even what we’re doing with the skateboarding, the kids can put different symbols on their boards that are culturally significant to them, to their tribe. It helps reestablish that pride. It’s evident when you’re in or around Indian country that we’re still very proud people.
