After closing its iconic store just steps away from the Centre Pompidou over a year ago, Vans makes a highly noticed comeback in the heart of the Marais. Located at 14 rue du Temple, the Californian brand isn’t simply opening a new retail space. It is reaffirming a vision: a place conceived as a true cultural gathering point. This audacious repositioning was celebrated on Wednesday evening with an opening event worthy of the occasion, featuring a musical lineup rivaling that of Paris’s major venues, with performances by Little Simz, OKLOU and Andy4000. Come take a look inside.
A space dedicated to the Vans community
Echoing its London counterpart, Vans rolls out a hybrid concept here. Beyond the 130 m² retail space, a large inner courtyard unfolds, closer in spirit to a New York loft than to a traditional shop. Raw and modular, the space is designed to host meetings, performances and activations, both public and private.
From the opening night, the tone was set: a photo booth, food and drink stands, and a guest list gathering the fashion crowd during Men’s Fashion Week. With this inaugural event, the venue already establishes itself as a future playground for Paris’s creative scene.
The carefully considered acoustics make it easy to imagine intimate concerts or DJ sets taking place here. Turning 14 rue du Temple into an unmissable stop on Paris’s Fête de la Musique circuit is only a small step away. A bet that some at SNSP already seem ready to place.
A musical program as a manifesto
The choice of artists invited for the opening is anything but incidental. A 100% female, eclectic and sharply curated lineup signals a clear intention: to speak to a new generation, more diverse, but also more engaged. Little Simz, OKLOU and Andy4000, distinct voices, each capable of drawing new audiences toward the brand.
This direction is further confirmed with the announcement of an exclusive collaboration with SZA. Appointed Artistic Director of Vans, the artist even made an appearance in-store on Thursday, 22 January, to unveil the sneaker and meet fans who turned out in large numbers. A moment of collective communion, set against the backdrop of the flagship.
A brand that hasn’t aged a day
While Vans continues to build on its iconic models: Old Skool, Authentic and Slip-On, the brand is no longer shy about exploring new territory. Bold colors, material play, and sharper fashion references, such as the collection developed with the late Valentino Garavani, reflect a clear desire to engage in dialogue with a more fashion-forward universe.
Vans is also riding the wave of thin-soled sneakers, a trend recently popularized by Miu Miu, appealing to a clientele drawn to more understated, streamlined silhouettes.
The collaboration with SZA fits into a broader movement: that of artists elevated to creative figurehead status within brands. A$AP Rocky at Puma, Jaden Smith at Christian Louboutin, all examples that illustrate this strategy of permeability between industries.
For Vans, the objective is clear: to reach the singer’s fans, who turned out in force during her visit to Paris, and to anchor the brand within their cultural imagination.
At the Louis Vuitton FW26 show, SZA also unveiled a pair designed with Rachel Goatley. A model adorned with rustic, countryside-inspired jewelry. The two women have also developed four additional designs, all set with precious stones. A jewelry-led approach, unexpected for Vans, revealing the brand’s ability to reinvent itself without betraying its DNA.
With this new address in the Marais, Vans isn’t just marking a return to one of the capital’s most fashionable districts, but it is making a genuine comeback on the cultural scene. By betting on community, music and strong artistic collaborations, the American brand proves it has lost none of its relevance. Better still, it shows that a label born nearly sixty years ago can continue to capture the spirit of the times, without ever seeming to chase it.
