American footwear brand Vans has drawn inspiration from its rich heritage for the new Vans Vault spring collection. The new range is not wholly dedicated to old looks, but still is heavily influenced by traditional styles. Unlike another American-based apparel brand Levi’s, which has built a number of its collections on the old and iconic ranges (in late 2011, the brand even launched a virtual hub dedicated to vintage clothing), Vans is adding modern elements to the new line as well.

Photo: Vans Vault spring collection 2012, vault.vans.com

To present the new collection, Vans teamed with illustrator Tait Haws, who produced water-colour images and made photos for the interactive lookbook, which also includes an interview with designer Taka Hayashi, who has collaborated with the brand for several collections including this one.  “Vault by Vans consists of timeless styles drawn from our 45-plus year heritage, inspired by modern street art, fashion, music, and the boardsports world,” says the book. The same approach—featuring water-colour images in promotional elements—was employed by a number of brands including adidas and Perrier-Jouët.

The collection includes a range of styles, including the Cuerpo LX with pebbled leather upper and stitching, and Sierra Trek Lo made with premium leather and suede on the upper to name but a few. A new collection will be available across the globe—the list of stores can be found on the dedicated page.