Aaron Hope 
It’s definitely one of those chicken-and-egg situations when it comes to determining who might be ‘copying’ whom, but there’s little debating that what’s worked so well for Converse in recent years, has also worked for Vans, and vice-versa. Here’s a very direct proof in the Barriers x Converse Chuck 70 High Black, a variation on the classic smiley Зимние that utilizes an extra ‘seatbelt’ of material along the midfoot a la Off the Wall’s Standard Issue Sk8-Hi. Really, this element is just externalizing the support found in a variety of vulc-soled basketball hightops including the Nike Blazer, but it does indeed set these off and along with the luxe materials gives these two new pairs a nice premium feel. Pick between black chambray and suede or parchment canvas with a suede strip or just get them both, since both pairs are available now at First String retailers like Up There.
