Vans Takes Over The Merci Store In Paris With A 70s Skate Bowl And A New Capsule Collection

Vans and Paris concept store Merci launched a limited edition capsule collection on April 9 at the Merci store at 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais, with online availability opening on April 10 at vans.com and merci-merci.com. The drop pairs Vans’ California skate heritage with Merci’s Parisian design sensibility, and is accompanied by a custom skate bowl installation inside the Merci store inspired by 1970s California skate pools.

The Collection

The capsule brings together hand drawn artwork, fine embroideries, subtle checker details, and tactile finishes across footwear and accessories. The range includes classic Vans silhouettes reworked with Merci’s refined aesthetic, a white skateboard deck, and an “Elegance of Disorder” bandana in a gabardine print, 100 percent cotton. The palette is described as refined yet playful, honoring the visual heritage of both brands without leaning too heavily on either.

The Store Takeover

To mark the launch, Vans installed a large scale skate bowl at the base of the Merci store, a direct visual reference to the backyard pools that shaped 1970s California skate culture and the foundational mythology of the Vans brand. The installation gives physical weight to the collaboration’s core concept by placing a piece of skate infrastructure within one of Paris’s best-known design retail spaces.

Why Merci

Merci operates two Paris locations, 111 Boulevard Beaumarchais and 19 Rue de Richelieu, and has built a reputation as a retail destination that prioritizes discovery, craft, and timeless design over trend-driven commerce. The pairing with Vans, which is approaching its 60th anniversary in 2026, signals a deliberate move to frame the brand’s California roots within a European design context, tapping into consumers who engage with both skate heritage and considered lifestyle objects.