Vans Surf is proud to announce its latest head-to-toe collection with African surf lifestyle brand Mami Wata, which draws inspiration from African surf culture, key historical and cultural events, and the power and positivity of surfing. The collection leads with Vans Authentic VR3 SF and a curated assortment of additional footwear styles, apparel, and accessories.

Founded in 2017, Mami Wata is translated in West African Pidgin English as “Mama Water” or Mother Ocean. Based out of Cape Town, the brand is focused on furthering manufacturing diversity and surf development in Africa and supporting world-leading African surf therapy organizations Waves for Change and Surfers Not Street Children. Mami Wata’s mission is to offer a different narrative of surfing and Africa to the world and to educate and share the positive effects of surfing with everyone. This season, Vans partners with Mami Wata to deliver a collection founded on these principles and inspired by important cultural moments in Africa’s history.

From Zaire’s “Rumble in the Jungle” in 1974 and Nigeria’s “Festac ‘77” to other iconic local music festivals, this new head to toe collection takes the bold and graphic imagery of these cultural events and adds a modern Vans twist, tying back to Vans’ heritage Checkerboard prints. Vans Authentic VR3 in Mami Wata Cream is the hero of the collection andfollows Vans’ strict materials guidelines with one or a combination of regenerative, responsibly sourced, renewable, and recycled materials making up at least 30% of the product.

The upper features leather (Vans leather products support responsible manufacturing via the Leather Working Group) and organic cotton on the Style 36 Decon VR3 SF and Sk8-Hi 138 Decon VR3 SF, respectively. The outsole across all footwear features Vans’ all-new VR3Waffle™ rubber compound. All the rubber used to make this outsole (60% of the compound) is regeneratively grown natural rubber sourced from farms utilizing agricultural practices intended to promote biodiversity, enhance water cycles, improve soil health, and/or sequester carbon. The brand-new VR3Cush™ drop-in footbed uses 25 percent biobased EVA foam partially derived from plants.

Along with the Mami Wata Authentic VR3 SF, the new collection also features a Style 36 Decon VR3 SF and the Sk8-Hi 138 Decon VR3 SF, both in Mami Wata Cream.

By utilizing bold graphic details in contrast to a micro-Checkerboard, inspired by hand-woven fabrics popular throughout Africa, this collection pays homage to the past while giving a vibrant nod to the future generations that will live and define African surf culture. The new apparel features a Mami Wata Pullover, short sleeve tees, woven shirt, boardshorts, and a hat.

The Vans x Mami Wata Collection will be available globally beginning February 16, 2023 at Vans Surf retail locations and Vans.eu/surf.

For Jordy Smith, 2022 brought new levels of growth and an even deeper love for surfing. Balancing family, his career, and staying true to himself is at the forefront of his life and he’s showing no signs of slowing down. Catch up with Jordy and keep your eye on him as we settle into 2023 because there’s plenty more where this came from.

In his own words below.

There’s no such thing as an off season when the tour ends, the focus just shifts to hunting tubes. After a bad year on tour I needed to get some good waves to get my froth back. We put some miles on the cab and hit the coast with my friends and family. In the finals episode of Silver Linings we lose the rash guard and find some rare gems on the South African coast.  

Merry Kaliyuga is a surf film, inspired by the hinduist story of the Kali Yuga, in which Kalkin (an incarnation of the god Vishnu) appears to end a period of sin and darkness to usher in a new age.
The aim of this film was to use surfing as a medium to explore the striking duality between modernism and tradition in Morocco.

A film by Horace Martins @elzebib

Starring Selim Barkat and Omar Amzil

Executive Producer // Yassine Boufanzi

Sound composition and design // Antoine Busson

Abstract Art // Morgan Beringer

Animation // Evi Sno

Cleaning // Julien Mercier

Music Credits

Rafael Anton Irisarri – Vanishing Points
Torus – Omnia
Windhand – Libusen
Grouper – Alien Observer
Sylford Walker – Burn Babylon

Volume II of the Single Sessions edit from early January. Filmed in a single sessions when several of the UK’s best raided and plundered some of what January had to offer.

Music – ‘Origami’ by Lonov courtesy of Epidemic Sound

Filmed & edited by Adam Norris of Offshores Photo.