Atiba Jefferson x Vans: A Portrait of Skate Culture Through a Legendary Lens
Street culture has never been confined to sidewalks, it’s a movement that pulses through music, fashion, and the way people navigate the world. From the cracked concrete of Los Angeles to the backstreets of Shibuya, skateboarding has built a global language rooted in freedom and creativity. At its heart stands Atiba Jefferson, one of the most influential visual storytellers to ever document the scene.
For over two decades, Atiba’s photography has captured skateboarding’s restless spirit: its friendships, its falls, its moments of grace mid-air. He has captured some of the most famous people, moments, and movements orbiting skate culture and he is a global icon both in streetwear and in skateboarding. His lens has defined how we remember skate culture. Raw, real, and always in motion.
It’s only natural, then, that Vans, the brand woven into the DNA of skateboarding, would collaborate with Atiba on a collection that feels both nostalgic and forward-looking. Their partnership goes beyond product; it’s a dialogue between two forces that have shaped how skate culture looks and feels. The collaboration reinterprets Vans’ most iconic silhouettes and apparel pieces, each one infused with Atiba’s creative imprint, custom branding, vivid colorways, and the kind of energy that has always defined both his work and Vans’ legacy.
To celebrate the release, Atiba and Vans took the collection on the road, embarking on a European tour that stopped in three cities still carrying the torch for authentic street and skate culture: Paris, London, and Berlin. Each city served as both gallery and gathering point, spaces where local scenes converged, boards hit pavement, and the community came alive to honor the intersection of photography, fashion, and skateboarding.
On this occasion, we were lucky enough to talk to Atiba in an exclusive interview to dive into his legacy, his favourite moments, and why it's so important we keep this beautiful culture thriving.
On Career & Legacy
Thanks so much for talking to us today. Can you please kick off by giving a brief introduction to who you are and what you do?
My name is Atiba Jefferson and I am a skateboard photographer, but I also shoot a lot of other things like music, sports, music and portraits. I’m also working with Vans and just launched my collection of footwear and apparel.
You’ve been documenting skateboarding for decades, what first drew you to capturing skate culture through photography?
What drew me to shooting Skateboarding was just being a fan of Skateboarding. Honestly, as a skater I wasn’t that good so a camera let me be on the session and continue to skate.
Skateboarding has evolved massively since the ‘90s, but still retained its core DNA. How has your lens on the culture changed over time, or perhaps stayed the same?
I would say my photography has changed mostly due to technology. I initially started shooting with film and now we’re in a digital age. Skateboarding has progressed immensely in the 30 years that I’ve been shooting it. Now there’s just different angles I’ll take but at the end of the day it really is the same. It’s all about timing.
Your photography has shaped how people outside of skateboarding see the community. Do you feel a sense of responsibility in documenting the culture authentically?
As a skater, you just want to document skating in the right way. That’s just part of it as a photographer. It’s my responsibility to make things look better than they actually do in real life so yeah, I try and do the best job I can.
Are there particular moments or figures in skateboarding history you’ve photographed that you feel were truly defining?
I think there are monumental moments in Skateboarding, but it's all about progression so there are things that I shot twenty or thirty years ago that I thought were monumental. Now those same tricks are warm-ups. I will say Chris Joslin's Tre Flip down El Toro or Tony Hawk’s 900 (I shot the second 900 he ever did) are pretty big moments in skateboarding, but because it progresses so fast what happened in the past will always get outdone.
On the Partnership with Vans
What excites you about working with Vans at this stage in your career?
It’s an exciting point in my career because it’s something I didn't expect but because it’s so late in my career I have the experience of seeing things that I wanna make and I’m really appreciative to Vans for making that happen.
How did this partnership come about, and why did it feel like the right fit?
The partnership has actually been going on for years. I first was an ambassador with Vans in 2010 with OTW and it’s just been a great relationship with them since. So when they approached me in 2023, I was truly honored but it was a very natural fit because I had already done so many things with them over the years.
This collaboration seems as much about art and culture as it is about the footwear itself. What do you hope this collaboration communicates to both core skaters and new audiences discovering skate culture?
For this collection I really wanted to make something that was timeless and classic because it’s pretty much the same stuff I’ve been wearing since I started skating at 13. I wanted to include photography because it would be a skate photo for those who don’t skate and I thought it would be cool for them to have that. In the same way, featuring Eric Haze’s artwork as a part of the collection was special. He’s an incredible OG graffiti artist and designer so I think it’s cool to see people that might not know what they’re wearing, wearing something that I truly love, which is Skateboarding and art.
How do you balance celebrating Vans’ heritage with pushing forward new narratives in your work together?
It’s really easy to celebrate that because Vans is the original skate shoe so it’s always been part of the DNA in Skateboarding and it’s just something that progresses, the same the way Skateboarding tricks progress.
On VANS & Skateboarding Culture
Vans has been synonymous with skateboarding for decades, what’s your first memory of the brand within the culture?
I mean Vans goes hand-in-hand with Skateboarding so my first memory is just the first time I looked at a Skateboarding magazine. The most memorable time for me was custom ordering Chukka boots at my local skate shop which I later ended up working at. I ordered my first Chukkas probably around 1991 and I put a five dollar deposit down and waited eight weeks to get them back. That’s always been a really impactful memory for me with Vans.
You’ve seen countless generations of skaters come up, what role do you think Vans has played in supporting and shaping skateboarding over the years?
Vans has played a role in shaping Skateboarding over the years because they always supported Skateboarding from day one, plain and simple.
Looking back, were there any iconic photos you’ve shot where Vans was naturally part of the story?
I’d say the photo of Cardiel that’s featured as part of my collection. That was taken on my first ever Vans trip down to Costa Rica. John and I have been friends ever since and I’m such a fan of his skating and music selection as a DJ.
Words by Joe Goodwin
