Valentino and Vans are doing this again, and it makes perfect sense that Alessandro Michele went straight for the Classic Slip On. It is one of those shoes that does not need explaining. You see it, you get it, you have probably owned a pair at some point, or wanted to. Michele’s take keeps that instant familiarity, then layers in Valentino’s world on top in a way that feels cheeky, graphic, and very wearable.
This is the second chapter of the collab, following the first drop back in September 2025, and it sits inside Valentino’s Cruise 2026 collection. The whole thing is built around six unisex versions of the Vans Classic Slip On, all finished with co branded insoles, so you get that proper crossover feeling the moment you step into them.
Let’s be honest, though, there is one pair that needs to lead the story every single time: Cherryfic. It is the only brand new pattern in the lineup, and it is the one that instantly tells you this is not just a repeat. On a Slip On, a new print does all the talking. You do not need to style it to death. You just put it on and suddenly your outfit looks like you actually tried, even if you absolutely did not.
Around that hero, the rest of the drop plays with pattern like it is the main language. There are VLogo Checkerboard versions in black and red and black and pink, plus a VLogo Checkerboard with big dots, and a Tropical Leaves print that leans into the holiday energy of Cruise season. Every pair comes in special packaging too, basically a mash up of the classic Vans checkerboard with the Valentino VLogo Signature, which is exactly the kind of detail people will keep on a shelf instead of binning.
The takeaway is simple. Michele did not mess with the Slip On because it needed fixing. He picked it because it is already an icon, and icons are more fun when you twist them just enough. Cherryfic is the loudest proof of that, and the easiest way into the whole collaboration.
The collection lands starting mid January on Valentino.com and in Valentino boutiques worldwide, plus Vans.com and the Vans flagship store in Paris.
