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American Football, pioneers of the Midwest emo scene, have teamed with OTW by Vans for a collaboration on the Authentic 44 in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their 1999 self-titled debut album.
The shoe is printed with the album’s iconic cover art, which features a minimalist, green-tinted photograph of a white house in Urbana, Illinois, where friends of the band lived while attending the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. This house has become an iconic landmark in indie and emo music culture, symbolizing nostalgia and emotional fragility, with fans often visiting the house as a pilgrimage site. The band and its label, Polyvinyl Records, purchased the house in May 2023 to preserve the property and use it as a creative space for artists, residencies, house shows, and more.
To celebrate the collaboration, Vans hosted a backyard BBQ-style Skate Jam party at the American Football House with band members Mike Kinsella, Nate Kinsella, and Steve Lamos, along with a group of their musician and skater friends including Hayley Williams, Yvette Young, and Novo Amor.
The American Football x Vans Authentic drops October 28th at 2pm ET on the band’s webstore and are expected to sell out quick. Check out the shoes and photos from the party below.
American Football x Vans Authentic 44
Release Date: October 28, 2025
Price: $110
