SZA is expanding her creative portfolio with an unexpected new role. After conquering music with her record-shattering albums CTRL and SOS and breaking into film with One Of Them Days, the multihyphenate adds another hyphen, announcing her appointment as the first-ever Artistic Director for skate shoe brand Vans.
According to Women’s Wear Daily, the brand will be putting SZA “in charge of reimagining and overseeing the brand’s upcoming campaigns and co-creating and designing exclusive production collections.” The brand’s first campaign stars SZA herself, wearing her usual uniform of baggy clothes paired with a signature set of Knu Skools, which she told Vogue she actually hikes in between stops on her and Kendrick Lamar’s ongoing Grand National Tour.
“I had these Knu Skools made into cowboy boots,” she said. “It sounds bizarre, but they’re so ugly that they’re great.”
In her official statement about the appointment, she said, “I’ve been wearing Knu Skools and other styles for years, they’ve always had an ethos I connect with. As Artistic Director, my mission is to show that joy, community, creativity, and fashion are all still intersectional. That humanity, culture, and connection are still the access points… I’ve learned that bravery and curiosity are the cures for uncertainty; it’s a lifestyle, and Vans champions that spirit. They stand where I stand, and I’m honored to invite a whole bunch of people to stand Off the Wall with us.”
You can check out the campaign photos, shot by Sophie Jones, here.