Simplicity has always had a place in the world of fashion, although sometimes it takes a little nudge to get the public to affectionately embrace the idea. And over the years, musicians, sports figures, and actors have probably done more to catapult these modest items to the forefront of mainstream popularity than anyone. Such was the case with simple pair of canvas shoes known as Vans.

Vans were first introduced to the public all the way back in 1966, the vision of designer Paul Van Doren who convinced a few partners to help him open a small store in Anaheim, California. They were an unassuming product, made of quality materials and offering both comfort and durability. Sales remained unimpressive, however, until they were embraced by the skateboarding community, who found them to be the perfect shoe to thrash about in. And as skateboarding popularity exploded, so did the popularity of Vans.

But they still hadn’t quite found the mainstream success that was originally envisioned until the release of the 1982 film, Fast Times at Ridgemont High featuring a lovable underachiever named Jeff Spicoli (played brilliantly by a young Sean Penn.) Spicoli prominently displayed his checkerboard-design Vans throughout the movie, even whacking himself in the head with them on occasion. Soon, the character became sort of a counter-culture hero and fans everywhere wanted to know where they could get a pair of the shoes like Spicoli wore in the film.

Thanks to a multitude of creative designs, including a two-toned red and blue version created specifically for the skateboard market, Vans found their way to the feet of millions of customers, many of which had never set foot on a skateboard, but still loved the comfort factor. Although available with laces, most prefer the slip-on variety, worn sans socks to achieve the desired laid-back California look. And while Jeff Spicoli may have brought the fashionable footwear to the attention of millions, the result would have likely been a flash-in-the-pan fad that died quickly – except for the fact that they were always a wonderfully comfortable shoe, they just needed a little star power to get people to recognize that fact. As a result, long after their Hollywood introduction, they remain enormously popular, the epitome of simplicity in a shoe that remains much as it always has in regard to construction, paired with high-tech designs that continue to evolve with their customer’s tastes.