Vans was founded in 1966 by brothers Paul and Jim Van Doren and their business partners Gordon Lee and Serge Delia. The brand’s first store was located in Anaheim, California and by the late 1970s, it had opened 70 shops in the state and gained a loyal following of West Coast surfers and skaters. Today, Vans has 415 shops around the world and two skate park-cum-entertainment venues in London and Brooklyn.

Source: Vans at 50 – Creative Review