Vans has signed the famous skateboarder and former X-Games star Tony Hawk as a global brand ambassador. He will be promoting the brand’s global platforms and produce a new competition for professional vert (halfpipe) skating, while continuing to serve as a color commentator for the Vans Park Series. Hawk donned his first skate shoes, a pair of Vans, in 1978 and wore almost nothing but the brand’s shoes through the mid 1980s. To practice social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic, Vans and Hawk are taking part in livestreams, philanthropic give-back programs and product collaborations.