Seeing Double: Pharrell Debuts the Louis Vuitton Combi, Drawing Instant Comparison to Vans
PublishedQuick Facts
- Constructed with the same paneling as a Vans Authentic, the shoe features a wider toebox for a stretched-out fit
- As soon as the pair showed up on Instagram, comments about the Vans similarities started rolling in, right down to the name
- The Louis Vuitton Combi will be released as part of the brand’s Spring/Summer 2027
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Got my Louis’ on, but they look like sneakers. Pharrell must have been listening to Lil B and The Pack during his recent design sessions, because his new skate shoe silhouette for Louis Vuitton is giving us some serious Vans Authentic vibes. In between his sneaker work with adidas, Skateboard P is still the design honcho at Louis V, and he’s still heading to the skatepark for inspiration.
Louis Vans
The Louis Vuitton Combi hit the internet over the weekend in a few colorways, but most notably a red croc skin pair that Pharrell showed off on foot. Constructed with the same paneling as a Vans Authentic, the shoe features a wider toebox for a stretched-out fit. As soon as the pair showed up on Instagram, comments about the Vans similarities started rolling in, right down to the name. Vans even chimed in with a comment on Pharrell’s post, adding, “ohhh bet,” and a playful ad for red Authentics on its own IG with the caption “Wanna know the time. Better clock us,” referencing the Pharrell and Clipse track about biters, “Mr. Me Too.”
While most people harped on the name Combi as a shoutout to a Japanese Kombi, or cargo van, that wasn’t the connection we made. For decades, the Vans Combi Bowl has been the gold standard of bowl skateboarding. The super-deep three-leaf clover-shaped pool is the site of an annual contest held by Vans and is one of the brand’s most iconic skate properties. We’ve gotta imagine Pharrell has heard of it. What do you think? Is the pair too close to a Vans rip?
Louis Vuitton Combi Release Details
The Louis Vuitton Combi will be released as part of the brand’s Spring/Summer 2027 sneaker lineup. As of now, the retail price is still TBD, but expect them to cost at least a six-pack of Vans Authentics. To keep up with all the latest sneaker news from Pharrell, download the Sole Retriever App.
Zach Harris is a writer based in Philadelphia. His work has appeared in Rolling Stone, Vice, Complex, High Times, and more. He is obsessed with skateboarding and bowling. He is still looking for his first 300. For tips, reviews, and anything in size 10.5 - zach.h@soleretriever.com
