Vansza Drop 1: SZA Fronts the Campaign Ahead of the 22 October Release

Update, 15 October 2026 – A week before the release, Vans has revealed the campaign for Vansza Drop 1.

SZA stars in it herself, alongside Vans skater Zion Wright, models Caylee Blosenski and Isabella Carr, and her niece Savannah Rowe. Photographer India Sleem shot the images in California's rugged landscape.

At the centre are the Knu Skool Mule (VN00119WBA2) at €90 and the Authentic Kickdown (VN00115AWHT) at €100.

The easy on-off design of both comes straight from SZA. "My mom has been telling me, 'Please stop stepping on the back of your shoes' my whole life. She hates it. So I put the design aspect in my shoes," she says.

"I created a step-down shoe, and then I took the whole back off the Knu Skool because, why not? Less effort. More fun. More accessibility. More comfort. More color."

Animals such as fish and insects also show up on both the shoes and the clothing.

Alongside the sneakers, the drop includes oversized workwear jackets, relaxed cargo pants and T-shirts with fish graphics.

Where Can I Buy the Vansza Collection?

Vansza Drop 1 releases on 22 October 2026 via Vans and in Vans stores.

This Is Vansza, SZA's First Vans Collection

Originally posted on 10 September 2026

SZA has been Artistic Director at Vans since last year, and this week she unveiled her first collection: Vansza. Vansza's Drop 1 lands on October 22, led by a reworked Knu Skool and Authentic.

The Knu Skool Mule (VN00119WBA2) loses its heel and becomes a slip-on, while the front keeps the silhouette's familiar, exaggerated proportions. The Authentic Kickdown (VN00115AWHT) gets distressed canvas and custom artwork by artist Sage Adams, plus a collapsible heel for easy on-off.

Beyond footwear, Drop 1 also brings workwear apparel: a denim jacket, a pant with an exaggerated amount of pockets, an oversized short, and a trompe l'oeil fleece set, all built around comfort and utility. Vans says the whole collection is built around how SZA actually wears her own clothes and shoes, which explains the mix of distressed canvas, denim and fleece.

Familiar shape, new details

We think this is an exciting collaboration with experimental design choices that still stays true to Vans' signature! What do you think? Let us know on Instagram.

Part 2: the Tabi hiking shoe and camo Knu Skool

What Vans also showed at the NYFW presentation actually belongs to a second chapter of Vansza: Drop 2, planned for spring 2027. On show were a camo version of the Knu Skool and, more strikingly, a brand new hiking shoe with a split Tabi-toe construction, in multiple colorways.

That Tabi design has roots in centuries-old Japanese footwear and has shown up more and more in sneakers over the last few years. The shoe sits noticeably low to the ground, with thin, chunky-lugged outsoles that echo minimalist barefoot footwear. A release date, price, and official model name for this second drop haven't been announced yet.

Keep an eye on our release calendar for the exact Vansza release details, browse our sneaker search engine for more models, and download the Sneakerjagers app so you never miss a drop.

Also in the Vansza collection