More than 20 years ago, Sublime released one of today’s most iconic albums w/ 40oz to Freedom. The best visual representation of Sublime is the album’s cover with whats referred to as the Sublime Sun. Now, Sublime has teamed up with Vans, putting the Sublime Sun on a limited run of Sk8-Hi shoes!
These are the first ever Sublime shoes, limited to 240 pair at $80 a piece and all signed by the artist, Opie Ortiz. Unfortunately, these shoes sold out before the news of their existence could really hit the mainstream. It’s our hope that this is the first run of many more to come from Vans & Sublime.
The sun was placed on Vans’ original high-top with the sun across the canvas quarter panels along with the Sublime logo on the tongue. They were sold exclusively at Vans.com and SublimeLBC.com.
I had the chance to speak with artist, Opie Ortiz, about the Sublime Sun and he explained it’s origin as: “..it’s just imagination. I had Mexican Aztec images in my mind when I was doing that, but I had to put it in a modern day twist. So it’s just like, life & death! You look at the flames and they’re kind of like black & white & they look like sperm almost, you know what I’m saying? Inside is death & life & rebirth & all that. It’s just a combination of images to form a central image”.
When I asked where the concept of the sun came from for the cover, Opie continues that “You have your homies do it instead of going out and having someone else do it, who doesn’t know you. I feel like they were comfortable with me relaying an image that represented them, you know? Miguel & Brad saw that in me.” Opie goes on by explaining: “I was airbrushing t-shirts and if you look in the 40oz to Freedom (booklet), you see the picture of Sublime standing in the street & Brad is wearing an air-brushed t-shirt that I did a long time ago, around that era – And that’s the image where we got the idea for the sun for 40oz.”
[Related: Sublime’s Robbin’ The Hood 20th Anniversary]
That idea has now become a symbolic image among Sublime fans & enthusiasts. It’s on stickers, patches, lighters, jackets, hoodies, t-shirts among every other imaginable accessory and for what’s being boasted as the first time ever, it’s now on officially on Shoes.
No official word if these will be re-released. My guess, or hope, is the first 240 pair were the initial run that included Opie’s signature. Being that these shoes sold out as fast as the double platinum album the sun hails from, we’re betting these shoes will hit the shelves again, but don’t be surprised or bummed if the price goes up due to the demand.
Now if only the powers that be, behind Sublime, officially re-release 40oz to Freedom on vinyl!
Related Links:
Exclusive Sublime Blog
Exclusive Opie Ortiz Interview Pt. 1
Exclusive Opie Ortiz Interview Pt. 2
Article By: Mike Patti
Watch: Sublime – “Badfish”
