Vans teams up with Mac Miller’s estate to create shoes honouring late singer’s album anniversary

Mac Miller‘s estate has teamed up with Vans to create a pair of shoes in honour of the five-year anniversary of the rapper’s last album.

The late rapper released his album Swimming on 3 August 2018. To celebrate the five-year anniversary of the album this year, Miller’s estate selected appropriate motifs based on both the late rapper’s style and what best represents him for a pair of Vans, one of his favourite sneaker brands.

“A pair of black Vans Authentics - one of Malcolm’s favourite shoes, which he wore around the world many times over,” the estate’s Instagram announcement began. “Thanks to our friends at Vans for helping us create a special pair in celebration of the five-year anniversary of Swimming.”

The shoes look similar to Vans classic black authentic shoes with a couple of extra details. They feature a yin-yang symbol in black and white with the words “Swimming by Mac Miller” surrounding them in a circle formation. Around the white trim towards the bottom of each shoe, it reads “Mac Miller 1992 to [infinity symbol]” to represent the scope and timelessness of Miller’s influence.

Apart from the sentimental details, the shoes have their same original Vans logo on the heel of the sneaker and the iconic white laces.

They will come in a pink and purple gradient box with “Swimming Mac Miller” stamped on the side, complete with the Vans logo next to another yin-yang symbol.

The special collab can be found only be purchased on Mac Miller’s website, where the shoes will retail for $100. Part of the profit will go to the Mac Miller Fund, which is a part of the Pittsburgh Foundation. The fund is meant to support “young musicians with resources to help realise their full potential through exploration, expression and community,” per their website.

Miller’s fifth and final album went on to debut at number three on the Billboard 200 upon release and entered the top 10 a second time one week after the late rapper’s death in 2018. It featured singles including “Self Care”, “What’s the Use?” and “Small Worlds”.

Miller died from an accidental overdose on 7 September 2018, a little over a month after the release of Swimming.

In 2019, the album was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Rap album category. The album lost to Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy.

One year later, Miller’s record label, Warner Music, released an album that the rapper was in the middle of recording called Circles, which was meant to be a companion album to Swimming.

Together, they were supposed to fit the theme of swimming in circles. “He had been working with Jon Brion, who after hearing some early versions of songs cleared his calendar to help Malcolm fine-tune them,” a statement on the rapper’s Instagram read. “After his passing, Jon dedicated himself to finishing Circles based on his time and conversations with Malcolm.” Released in January 2020, the album featured the singles “Good Blues” and “New World.”

Swimming was later certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America in 2021.