Thanks everyone! Okay, so this is going to shake shit up a bit, hehe. I decided, after some careful thought and insight, along with some close friends insight, that we go with a name that is not on the nose with Vans. We also want it to be dope and fucking cool. We represent all that is cool with Vans. Let's face it, the majority of our Vans are rare, limited, hard to get, etc. releases. We represent that group. Instead, I've been thinking of that general Vans audience. Your typical Vans store customer. The kids still in grade school, basically. I don't need to please everybody, I just need to please those who truly like what we do, and we should return the favor. Would Taka wear our stuff if it had "waffle this, or waffle that" all over it? Probably not. I'm a very humble person, and I don't like to take credit for S-H-I-T, but for the sake of all that we've all built here, we should really appreciate and honor that, and want to rep that proudly. Some of you talked about classic or timeless names. That lets me know that we're all on the same page.
When you come up with a name for a brand, you gotta throw a bunch of them out there, and then by process of elimination, you see which ones stick. Now granted, for me, this isn't so much about a brand that we can make stuff under, it's about a group that needs a new identity, that can be respected and liked. We can call ourselves the "OG Waffle Society" and #OGWS as like a slogan, but as a website name, I want something that doesn't directly speak "Vans". Our content will more than speak for that, through the blog, IG, and forum. The name that I finally decided on, is "
Under The Palms". It still speaks to Vans, but mainly to those who are down with the limited, and cool side of Vans. Where else do you see the palm leaves on Vans shoes? Just Vault. But more than that, it portrays that Cali lifestyle that Vans represents, and it has a personal meaning to us, referencing Vans having a hold on us, holding us down, restricting our old identity. Also on a sidenote, it has a little bit of personal meaning to me, since I'm from Guam. I've always wanted to come up with a name for a brand that could rep Islanders of all kind, since Hawaii and Philippines get all the shine! I may just sprinkle in some Islander influence here and there, but mainly, everyone will know we are a Vans influenced community. I've reserved
http://www.underthepalmleaves.com and @underthepalms on IG, and @underthepalms_ on twitter. So there, that's it guys. Hate it or love it. I think for some, it will take some time to sink in, and others will like it right away. If you need any sort of counseling, I'll be here for you...lol.
If it's any help, let's use Supreme as an example. What name would've been more fitting in 1994, for them? "New York Polo Club, Wu-Tang Forever, and Skateboards", most likely! This name has lasting power, especially if we all get behind it and help it move forward!