The instantly recognizable Vans checkerboard pattern has become a symbol for the Californian brand. It first appeared on the shoes now known as "slip-ons" thanks to Paul Van Doren, the son of the Vans founder, who noticed that some skateboarders liked to customize their Vans themselves with this pattern on the soles. Checkerboard slip-ons became shoes worn as a sign of protest and racial unity, emerging in a complex political context. You might have seen them on Sean Penn's feet in the 1980s film "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." The checkerboard pattern also came to customize Vans Old Skools, which became the go-to sneakers for skateboarders looking for a good shoe for their board.
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