What is the name of Vans' original shoe model?

Vans’ original shoe model was the Authentic. When the Van Doren Rubber Company opened its first store in Anaheim, California, on March 16, 1966, customers bought the company’s original deck shoe, which is now known as the Authentic.

The shoe was designed as a straightforward canvas sneaker with a simple low-top profile and a thick rubber sole. Its direct-to-consumer manufacturing and retail model helped Vans sell footwear at accessible prices from the beginning. The first store displayed three styles, but the original deck shoe became the foundation of the brand’s classic line.

A common mix-up is confusing the Authentic with the Slip-On, Old Skool, or Sk8-Hi. Those models became highly recognizable later: the Slip-On was introduced in 1977, while the Old Skool debuted that same year with the brand’s side stripe. The Authentic predates both and represents Vans’ starting point in footwear history.

The name also has a modern meaning: today, “Authentic” refers to a continuing product line, including many colors and collaborations, rather than only one original colorway.