INTERVIEW | Olivier Barriault of Vans

Feb 15

Feb 15 INTERVIEW | Olivier Barriault of Vans

Vans entered the footwear scene back in 1966 by brothers Paul Van Doren and Jim Van Doren along with partners Gordon Lee and Serge Delia by selling limited pairs of shoes straight to consumers under the moniker Van Doren Rubber Company. Over its lifetime, Vans has humbly constructed iconic silhouettes such as the Era, Old Skool, and Slip-On, initially inspired by and uniquely developed for West Coast skaters. These classic models have been iteratively improved over 55 years and remain staples despite today’s hyper-consumerism - a clear testament of Vans’ staying power. As the brand has organically grown into a global company, collaborations have been an important focal point of their strategy as they pair with the most sought-after brands in fashion, music, art, and film. There’s no better example of Vans’ international product strategy than their expanding work in Canada. We had the fortunate opportunity to gain insight into this as we chatted with Olivier Barriault, footwear product merchandiser for Vans Canada,

Hey Olivier! To start things off, can you introduce yourself and the work you do at Vans?

Wishing you and the team all the best for the new year. The content and platform that eye_C are providing is super solid and inspirational. I'm a fan. I’m the Canadian product merchandiser for Vans. Anything related to footwear for the country would fall on my plate. I am responsible for price points, margins, specific product assortments, go to market and distribution strategies as well as Canadian-specific collaborative projects.

Can you describe your current home office set up?

I’ve been working remotely for eleven consecutive months now. Luckily, I have good digital working tools that made the transition smoother than expected. I have an office space with a working desk. That’s where I keep my computer, monitor, and equipment. I enjoy using different rooms as work stations. My living room is where I’m reviewing samples, kind of like a mini showroom, and I use my couch to catch up on my reading.

How has the pandemic impacted your workflow these days?

It’s been challenging for all of us. The team had to go through many unknown situations. I was so used to go to the head office and interact with the team. We had to adapt fairly quickly and found new ways of working. I had to create better digital assets, since working with showrooms and physical samples wasn’t an option. It’s been a lot of additional workload, but we got through it, and it has all been worth it.

What is your earliest memory wearing Vans? Is there something specific that made you fall in love with them?

I’ve been wearing Vans for all my life. Vans vulcanized shoes are great to skate and bike in. My love for the brand came to fruition after graduating from business school. My first retail job was at a Vans partnership store in downtown Montreal. I had the chance to meet the Vans crew — people with a clear vision that were super inspiring to me, including footwear designer Taka Hayashi. That’s when I was exposed to the Vans culture, the different product categories, and the Vault line.

What’s your favorite Vans silhouette and your favorite Vans collaboration?

That’s a tough one. There’s so many! I’m a huge fan of hairy suede and intriguing patterns. The nonnative Sk8-Hi is definitely one of my favorites. From the pantones, to the textures, to the product execution. They’re just so sick!

We had a great chat last year about a Vans Vault release and the hidden yet substantial technical improvements. Using the signature Vans Era silhouette as an example, can you describe the differences with the Vault O.G. and Vault VLT LX iterations?

Vault O.G. stands for Originals. The Vans team relaunched the Vault Originals line last year. The whole idea was to celebrate the old way of making vulcanized shoes. O.G.’s have the same look and feel of the shoes we used to produce in the mid 60’s in the U.S. It has a narrower last while the vulcanized tape and foxing tape are higher and have a glossy finish. Meanwhile, the VLT LX is where the brand showcases premium materials. The last is much wider than the O.G.’s and they come with an UltraCush footbed for extra comfort.

Going deeper into your role as a Footwear Product Merchandiser, what are some projects that you’ve worked on?

Funny enough, some of the best projects we worked on dropped during the COVID-19 year. Early 2020, we dropped a project with Paul Labonté, a creative from Montreal. We also dropped our second collaborative project with Canadian retailer HAVEN during the fall season. At the end of last year, we launched a collaborative project with Toronto based Better Gift Shop.

The HAVEN x Vans releases were perfect examples of organic collaborations since they incorporated regional and brand-tailored design elements — premium materials and construction techniques specific to Canada’s seasonal weather alongside military colorways and visual details that reflected HAVEN’s clothing collection. Can you share how the first collaboration came together and the design process for the Era and Sk8-Hi?

The first collaborative project we worked on was with the Vault Originals build. We wanted to utilize calfskin leather and suede and have a utilitarian design, tying back to the HAVEN brand and clothing line. Also, the shoes were leather lined. The HAVEN team are true fans of the Sk8-Hi so it only made sense to work on that icon. The year we dropped that first project was the year where we celebrated our iconic Era. The Era was one of our first skate shoes. We also worked on an elevated packaging, with the sliding shoe box, a dust bag and an extra set of laces. We thought that story telling could really appeal to their consumers.

Following up any successful collaboration is no easy task. Was there a different approach for the second release?

The inspiration behind the second collaborative was around the Canadian forces desert combat boot. We worked around the Vault VLT LX construction. We sourced premium hairy suedes and ballistic nylons. We also made sure to keep the black bumper toe as a foundation. HAVEN wanted to show how dedicated they are to craftsmanship and timeless design.

While HAVEN is known worldwide, it was followed up by a collaboration with a much more niche store, the Better™ Gift Shop based in Toronto, known for being a curated exhibition, vintage gift shop, and cultural hub, all-in-one. The blue and white Vault LX Style 36 and Half Cabs models seemed like artwork pieces themselves with multiple Easter eggs details. Can you share more details about this collaborative footwear?

The project was definitely for a niche market but the Better™ Gift Shop is globally recognized. They work with different artists from around the world, super talented people. So we definitely wanted to work with them. I always enjoy looking at their storefront in Toronto’s Chinatown. Their whole aesthetic is very appealing, so that’s what the team wanted to replicate. There’s a replica of the store front on the sliding shoe box, the translucent waffle sole, and the UltraCush footbed with different artists working on different parts of the shoes. And yes, they added a few easter eggs like the branding on the lace tips and the extra reflective set of laces.

Product launches are planned and executed in the background with the process being overshadowed by the product itself. What are some challenges you faced when planning for a collaborative product launch?

The average consumer is not necessarily aware of the amount of work required going from concept to production to putting it on the market. And anything you can think of can go wrong whether it’s late deliveries, product details that the factory can neglect, or samples revisions. Working on a collaborative project demands a lot of coordination. But if you make sure you collaborate with the right partners and that you have a solid team surrounding you, you’re golden.

Is there a specific product launch that stands out?

Product launches that excites me the most are the ones that incorporate new designs and new technologies. The interest for sustainable products is definitely there too. For collaborative projects, the ones that are the most genuine and authentic will always stand out. Having two brands showcasing what they do best, and can focus on their expertise is what I appreciate. What Vans did with Takashi Murakami back in 2015 was incredible.

You’ve worked with so many great brands to date. Do you have a dream collaborator you would like to work with in the future?

There’s a few that we are in talks with. As a brand, we’ll want to excite the consumer and give them a new reason to buy. It will be important to continue to keep building our partnerships and make exciting new products.

Lastly, can you give any previews of what to expect from Vans in 2021?

For the first quarter of the year, we will be dropping a collaborative project with a Japanese travel bag manufacturer Porter, which is in my opinion one of the best bag manufacture in the world. Super excited for that one. We will also drop a collection with a Tokyo-based brand, celebrating music and Tokyo’s subculture.