Vans' Fifth Avenue drop shut down by a near-riot over the Satoshi Nakamoto collab

OTW by Vans, the skate brand's elevated line, began collaborating in 2025 with Satoshi Nakamoto — a Los Angeles streetwear label founded by creative George Robertson and named after the presumed pseudonym of Bitcoin's creator. The partnership quickly became one of the most watched in sneakers, with earlier pairs reselling for up to $2,000. On April 30, 2026, the fifth collaboration — the Era 95 Gems, with gemstone studs, a distressed canvas upper and a pre-scuffed midsole — went on sale at Vans' Fifth Avenue store in Midtown Manhattan.

The hype outran the plan. Lines had formed as early as Wednesday afternoon, and around 40 people were queued by 5 a.m. When doors opened the crowd rushed and pushed, tripping and falling over one another. The NYPD answered a 911 call for disorderly conduct at 6:25 a.m. — more than three hours before the store was meant to open — and at least ten officers moved in. Two people were taken into custody and issued summonses. Vans closed the Fifth Avenue store for the day, posting a sign that it would reopen Friday morning.

The sneaker sold out and will not restock, and no injuries were reported. But the images of a near-riot on Fifth Avenue — and of one attendee who said he was handcuffed after tripping and an officer 'helped' him up — became the story. The drop did what a scarcity release is supposed to do, except it also shut the store down.