Vans first used the “Off The Wall” logo and motto in 1976. The phrase came from skateboarding slang, describing the kind of aerial tricks performed by skaters riding the walls of empty swimming pools.
The wording became attached to Vans during the company’s early relationship with Southern California skateboarders. In the same period, Vans introduced Style 95, now known as the Era, as its first dedicated skate shoe. The shoe carried an early version of the skateboard-themed graphic associated with the brand.
The date is easy to confuse with later Vans milestones. The Old Skool debuted in 1977 and introduced the side stripe, while the Sk8-Hi followed in 1978. The “Off The Wall” expression itself is older than the modern logo treatment, but 1976 is the commonly cited year for Vans’ first use of the motto and logo in its skateboarding identity.