SZA's First Vans Collection Is Here: Meet Vansza

SZA isn't just making music these days. She's Vans' Artistic Director now, and this week she pulled back the curtain on her first collection: Vansza. Drop 1 touches down October 22, and it's built around two cult classics getting a proper reworking.

What's actually in the box

First up: the Knu Skool Mule (VN00119WBA2). It ditches the heel entirely and turns the chunky skate silhouette into a slip-on, but keeps the exaggerated, oversized proportions the Knu Skool is known for up front.

Then there's the Authentic Kickdown (VN00115AWHT): distressed canvas, custom artwork from artist Sage Adams, and a collapsible heel so it doubles as a mule when you can't be bothered.

It's not just footwear either. Drop 1 brings a full apparel lineup: a denim jacket, cargo-heavy pants with a genuinely excessive number of pockets, an oversized short, and a fleece set with a trompe l'oeil print. Vans says the whole collection is built around how SZA actually dresses off-duty, which explains why beat-up canvas, denim, and fleece all end up in the same rack.

Our first take

We're into it. It's an experimental collection on paper, from the mule conversion to the collapsible heel to the artwork, but none of it feels like it's fighting Vans' DNA. It still reads as a Vans collection first, SZA collab second, which is exactly the balance a lot of celebrity collabs get wrong.

Round Two: A First Look At The Tabi Hiking Shoe

Here's the part we're actually most excited about. Alongside Drop 1, Vans used its NYFW presentation to preview what's coming in Vansza's second chapter, expected for spring 2027. On show: a camo take on the Knu Skool and, far more interesting, a completely new hiking shoe built around a split Tabi toe, shown in a couple of different colorways.

The Tabi shape itself isn't new. It dates back centuries in Japanese footwear, and it's been creeping into more and more sneaker releases over the last few years. This version sits noticeably low to the ground, with thin, chunky-lugged outsoles that lean into that minimalist, barefoot-style look rather than a traditional hiking sole.

No release date, pricing, or official name for any of it yet. Vans is keeping Drop 2 close to its chest for now. We'll update this the second anything official lands.

Want first dibs on October 22? Get Vansza Drop 1 on your radar over on our release calendar, or dig through the rest of the range on our search engine.

More from the Vansza lineup

Inside the Vansza activation

IMAGE CREDITS: VANS