dc shoes

DC Shoes is an American company that specializes in footwear for extreme sports, skateboarding, snowboarding as well as snowboards, shirts, jeans, hats, and jackets. The company was founded in 1993 by Ken Block and Damon Way, and is based in Vista, California.[1] DC originally stood for "Droors Clothing", but since the sale of Droors Clothing (which is now defunct), DC no longer has ties to Droors and is simply DC Shoes.

On March 9, 2004, DC Shoes was acquired by Quiksilver in a $87 Million USD transaction.[2] DC Shoes moved from Vista, California to Quiksilver's headquarters in Huntington Beach in 2010.[3]

DC sponsors snowboarders, BMX riders, skateboarders, and more. The current skate team[4] includes Danny Way, Josh Kalis, Nick Dompierre, Rob Dyrdek, Colin McKay, Chris Cole, Mikey Taylor, Matt Miller, Felipe Gustavo, Wes Kremer, Marquise Henry, Davis Torgerson, and Evan Smith.

In fall 2010, DC Shoes launched their DC LIFE collection, a collection of fashion, music and art-inspired footwear. They held a launch party for the DC LIFE collection at the REVOLVE Clothing boutique in West Hollywood, CA.

Vans

Vans is an American based manufacturer of sneakers, skateboarding shoes, BMX shoes, snowboarding boots and other shoe types.

On March 16, 1966, at 704 E. Broadway, in Anaheim, California, Paul Van Doren and three partners opened up their first store. The Van Doren Rubber Company was unique in that it manufactured shoes and sold them directly to the public. On that first morning, 12 customers purchased Vans deck shoes, which are now known as Authentic. The shoes made that day were ready for pick-up in the afternoon.

The company continued to grow into the 1970s. During this period they also produced wool lined canvas and rubber mukluks under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Air Force. Skateboarders who liked Vans rugged make-up and sticky sole were seen sporting Vans all over Southern California in the early 1970s. In 1975, the Vans #95, known today as the Era was designed by Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta. With a padded collar and different color combinations the Era became the shoe of choice for a generation of skateboarders. In 1979, Vans introduced the #44 shoe, and with the help of skateboarders and BMX riders the Vans Slip-On became all the rage in Southern California. By the end of the 1970s, Vans had 70 stores in California and sold through dealers both nationally and internationally.

As the 1980s rolled around, Paul Van Doren began to take a lesser role in the companies’ activities. Over this period, Vans started to create shoes for a number of sports from skateboarding, wakeboarding, motor cross, to surfing in an effort to compete with large athletic shoe companies. Vans Slip-Ons gained international attention and appeal when they were worn by Sean Penn in the 1982, iconic youth film Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Although Vans core shoes were selling well, the wide range of products that the company now offered had drained the companies’ resources, and with Vans not able to overcome its debt they were forced to file for bankruptcy in 1983.

After three years, Vans had paid back all creditors and emerged from bankruptcy. In 1988 Vans original owners sold out to an investment banking firm. The company has been sold several times since; most recently for $396 million in 2004 to Greensboro, N.C.-based VF Corp. Steve Van Doren, the son of co-founder Paul Van Doren, is still with the company, as is his sister Cheryl and his daughter Kristy. Vans closed their Orange, California factory and began manufacturing footwear overseas in 1994. In1994, Vans sponsored the Inaugural Triple Crown series which developed into the Vans Triple Crown series. In 1998, Vans opened a 46,000-square-foot (4,300 m²), indoor-outdoor Vans Skate park at the Block in Orange County and in 2002 an enclosed skatepark was opened in the Festival Bay Mall on International Drive in Orlando, Florida. In 2000 and 2001, Forbes recognized Vans as one of "America’s Best Small Companies." In 2004, Vans launched the Vans Customs on their website. This allowed customers to log onto the Vans website and design their own pair of Vans Slip-ons, mid-cuts, or high-tops. Nowadays, it allows for the design of custom Era, Slip-On,Old Skool, and 106 Vulcanized shoes.

Vans has been the primary sponsor of the Warped Tour music festival since 1995. It is also holds the naming rights to BOWL-A-RAMA Bondi, Sydney, Australia, and not San Luis Obispo, CA.

Element

Element Skateboards (originally called Underworld Element Skateboards) is a skateboard manufacturer and surfwear retailer based in Irvine, California. It is a subsidiary of Australian clothing giants Billabong International.

The company was founded in 1992 by Johnny Schillereff as a collaboration called Underworld Element Skateboards. The struggling company was later absorbed by Schilleriff and the "Underworld" portion of the name dropped.

The company sponsors Hunter Kreck, Brent Atchley, Peter Rodney, Bucky Lasek, Bam Margera, Chad Muska, Chad TimTim, Darrell Stanton, Jeremy Wray, Levi Brown, Ray Barbee, Tony Tave, Vanessa Torres, Mark Appleyard, and Nyjah Huston. The company portrays itself as active in eco-friendly endeavors, community causes and attempts to raise awareness of environmental causes through its "Power to the Planet" initiative.

Company stores are located in New York City, Honolulu, Orlando (Universal CityWalk), Nottingham and Sydney.

my favorite skater is nyja huston and my favorite brand is element