From Converse All Star to Yeezy Boost 350: 11 sneakers that have become classics

1. Converse All Star

Formally, these are not sneakers, but sneakers, but the legendary All Star does not give us the right not to include them in the list. This model was created for the game of basketball and appeared on store shelves in 1917. The sneakers were not particularly popular until basketball player Chuck Taylor noticed them: he immediately became a fan of their design and convenience.

Converse calledMeet Chuck Taylor: The Man Behind The All Star the athlete, at first, just in an advertising campaign, and 15 years later they made him the face of the All Star and added Taylor's autograph to the side patch - he is still there.

For a long time, the All Star was one of the best-selling basketball shoes and was used by most NBA teams. It was in Converse that the US team won gold at the 1936 Olympics (the year that basketball became an Olympic sport).

In the late 60s, the model began to lose leadership - many NBA players switched to Adidas leather sneakers. However, the popularity of the All Star has not faded: they have already become part of the street style and fell in love with rockers: they were used by members of the Ramones, Nirvana, The Strokes and other bands. True, Converse didn't particularly like it, they wanted to

Chucks & Bucks: An Oral History of the Coolest Shoes on Earth associated with sports shoes and for a long time denied being associated with music, but in the end they gave up and in 2011 even openedInside Rubber Tracks, Converse's contribution to the music community own recording studio Rubber Tracks.

With a cotton base, volcanic rubber outsole and star logo, the recognizable All Star design has remained largely unchanged to this day. This is because not all experiments ended well: the low version of the 1962 sneaker is still on sale now, in color the variety that appeared in 1966 also caught on, but the company's attempt in the 90s to make the All Star more convenient came out sideways. Model fans rebelledThe new Chuck Taylors will actually be comfortable, despite the fact that the rubber outsole lost all imperfections, and Converse was forced to return to the old design. A more comfortable version - All Star Chuck Taylor II - was released by the company only in 2015: an anatomical insole and additional retention of the tongue were added to it.

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2. Puma suede

The story of this running shoe beganPuma Suede - A Revolution From Soul To Sole from a major scandal. The Puma model was invented in 1968, and American athletes immediately went to the Olympics in such shoes. There, the gold and bronze medalists of the 200 meter race - Tommy Smith and John Carlos - came out for awards in socks in protest against racism. Puma Suede stood on a pedestal next to them.

Oddly enough, the scandal did not increase interest in sneakers, but helped the company choose an advertising strategy. In 1973, Puma offered to advertise the model to black basketball player, New York Knicks player and famous fashionist Walter Fraser. On the side of the Suede, Clyde, the athlete's nickname, was filled with gold letters.

By the late 1970s, many young African American break dance enthusiasts wore sneakers. The Suede were great for dancers - they were relatively inexpensive and kept well on their feet. In the 90s, a new wave of popularity of the model was brought by the development of skateboarding: the rubber outsole of the Puma Suede clung well to the board, and the suede base did not wear out for a long time.

In the 21st century, these shoes have not lost their relevance either and have even become even more fashionable. In the 2000s, for the 40th anniversary of Suede, the brand launched several collaborations with designers, including Alexander McQueen. In the 2010s, special models were created in collaboration with Rihanna and The Weeknd.

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3. Adidas superstar

These basketball shoes appeared in 1969, and there is a version that the Superstar was created specifically to supplant the Converse All Star: even their names are similar. The main feature of this model is the rubber "shell" on the nose, which protects the fingers from injury. In addition, the Superstar is the first basketball shoe made from leather.

By the mid-70s, this model was usedadidas kicks off Superstar Celebration about 75% of NBA players, including number one of the Milwaukee Bucks Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - faceSNEAKER HISTORY - FROM SKYHOOK TO SUPERSTAR Adidas Superstar.

The Run ‑ D.M.C members made Superstar especially popular with young people. They walked in these sneakers, after pulling the laces out of them. In 1986, Run ‑ D.M.C. dedicated the track My Adidas to your favorite shoes. As a result, the brand entered into a million dollar advertising contract with the group.

Superstar is one of the best-selling sneaker models: only in 2015 did Adidas selladidas Sold More Than 15 Million Pairs of Superstars Last Year 15 million pairs. Regular collaborations with famous personalities and brands help to maintain popularity. For example, in 2015, Adidas, along with Pharrell Williams, released the Superstar in 50 vibrant colors, and in 2019, the Superstar came out with a design from Prada.

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4. Nike cortez

The same sneakers in which Forrest Gump ran across America. And even if his supermarathon is an artistic invention, Cortez would really help the hero of Tom Hanks to overcome long distances.

This model was created by Nike in 1966 for the training of runners. Cortez was designed byHistory Check - 45 Years of Nike Cortez professional athletics coach Bill Bowerman. He tried to make sneakers that would take the load off the feet on long distances and on cross-country races. The Nike Cortez's secret to comfort lies in three things:

1. A thick foam sole with a raised heel protects your Achilles tendon from injury.
2. Herringbone pattern on the outsole provides firm traction.
3. The aerodynamic shape of the hull allows for high speed.

For the first time a professional athlete performed in these shoes in competitions in 1972, at the Munich Olympics. The body of the original Cortez was made of leather, and in 1975 Bowerman decided to experimentally replace it with nylon - the lightweight material made the sneaker even more comfortable and faster. Cortez can now be found in leather, nylon and suede.

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5. Adidas Stan Smith

This shoe is named after Stan Smith, US Open and Wimbledon winner. Although the model itself at Adidas was developed for another athlete - Robert Aye, a semi-finalist of the French Open. And now, in order.

The history of the Adidas Stan Smith began in 1963, when Adidas France began developing the perfect tennis shoe. In 1965, he first appeared on the court in themMore Than Just a Man: A History of the adidas Stan Smith Robert Aye. The model was called then: Adidas Robert Haillet. The body was leather and completely white. In 1967, they added their signature detail to the sneaker design - a soft green heel counter. And in 1971, the athlete announced his retirement and Adidas had to look for someone to replace Aya.

The brand immediately approached Stan Smith with an offer of cooperation, but he refused. Four years later, in 1975, the company tried again, this time successfully.

By 1978, all pairs with the Robert Haillet logo were sold out, and Adidas began printing Stan Smith's name on the heel and a photograph of him on the tongue.

The Stan Smith quickly became popular outside the court with its minimalist design, solid leather, a bold accent in the back, and Adidas signature perforated stripes. A distinctive feature of the model is the stitching on the outsole: it appeared for more durable traction - without it, the outsole often fell off on the court.

In 1988 Stan Smith hitWhy Adidas ’Stan Smiths are everywhere to the Guinness Book of Records as the best-selling sneaker ever. In 2012, Adidas decided to stop producing Stan Smith, but only two years later, production had to be resumed - a lot of people wanted to buy them. Now the model is produced under the Adidas Originals brand.

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6. Vans old skool

Another legendary sneaker - Vans Old Skool - createdA brief history of old skool Especially for skaters: a thick, wide rubber outsole, a durable canvas body, rubber edging and leather inserts make the model virtually indestructible. It hit store shelves in 1977 and was first called Style 36.

It was on Old Skool that the Vans brand's distinctive mark - the "jazz band" first appeared. It was born out of a random drawing by brand founder Paul Van Doren.

The popularity of Old Skool was gained not only due to its convenience: sneakers consist of several panels that can be combined, painted, decorated - customized as you like. This opportunity to show your individuality through shoes has become a hallmark of both Vans in general and the model in particular.

Sneakers quickly made their way into fashionistas' wardrobes, and to whet their interest, in the 90s the manufacturer launched several collaborations with other well-known brands - Marc Jacobs and Supreme. Collections came out in limited edition, so having them was also a kind of manifestation of individuality.

The Old Skool was also the favorite sneaker of American punk rockers of the late 90s and 2000s: variants of the model were released with the groups Slayer, Descendents and Bad Religion.

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7. Nike air force 1

The Air Force 1 is a true space basketball shoe. They borrowed the name from the plane of the President of the United States, and came up with the idea of ​​a particularly comfortable soleThe Father Of Nike Air: Marion Franklin Rudy NASA Engineer Marion Frank Rudy: It has compressed air capsules, which makes it lightweight, springy and improves shock absorption.

The first version of the Air Force 1 was tall and well suited for basketball, with laces and Velcro attached to the shoe to reduce the chance of a sprained ankle. And the pattern on the sole helped to cling to the parquet floor of the playground.

Nike Air Force 1 appeared on the shelves of stores in 1982, only in one color - white with black swoosh (this is the name of the Nike logo). The ad campaign featured six NBA players: Bobby Jones, Moses Malone, Jamal Wilkes, Mikal Thompson, Calvin Nett and Michael Cooper. Each customer was given a poster with a photo of the athletes as a gift. Nike released a low-cut version of the shoe in 1984, and now there are five variants: medium, low, very low, high, very high.

The Air Force 1 immediately became popular with both basketball players and hip-hop artists: they not only wore them, but also featured them on tracks, such as Jay-Z in All I Need and Nelly in Air Force Ones. The model even has its own official composition - Classics (Better Than I’ve Ever Been) from Kanye West, Nas, Rakim and KRS-One.

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8. Reebok Classic Leather

The history of this model began with an absurd accident. Once a batch of Italian leather was brought to the Reebok factory, which the manufacturers did not order. With a little thought, the company decided to make a batch of Classic Nylon running shoes with a leather upper and called it Classic Leather. And they started selling them in 1983.

The sneaker quickly gained popularity due to its laconic design - simple shape and lack of contrasting color details. At first, Classic Leather was only white, but gradually expanded the line, and now they can be found in almost any color. There was even Classic Leather with red and blue stripes on the side to mimic the brand's logo.

In the mid-2010s, Reebok released several Classic Leather variants in collaboration with musician Kendrick Lamar: Red and Blue - white sneakers with matching lettering on the heel, LUX - green with a contrasting brown sole and edging.

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9. Nike air jordan

Created in collaboration with basketball player Michael Jordan, Nike sneakers appeared in 1984 and hit stores in 1985. For almost 40 years of history, they have become a real legend. Prior to the collaboration, Jordan did not know about Nike and planned to sign a contract with Adidas or Converse. Money helped to decide: Nike had a proposal for five years with the amount of 500 thousand dollars a year, Converse promised only 100 thousand, and Adidas was in crisis after the death of the founder brand.

The Air Jordan basketball shoe was designed by Peter Moore. The first version was made in three colors: red, black and white. The design contradicted the NBA dress code: sneakers were required to have 51% white fragments, while the Air Jordan had fewer of them. Therefore, for each entry into the field, Jordan was fined $ 5,000.

As a result, Nike used the scandal in an advertising campaign: the manufacturers stated that no one, not even the NBA, can forbid you to wear shoes that you like.

The collaboration with the basketball player has surpassedThe Story Behind Michael Jordan's Air Jordans all the brand's expectations: it was planned to sell Air Jordan for at least three million dollars by the fourth year of cooperation, and as a result, Nike earned 126 million in just the first year.

Air Jordan has become a full-fledged Nike subbrand over time. The sneaker is available in over 30 versions, each with a different design and technology to ensure the safety of the game. The Jumpman logo appeared on the Air Jordan III, and in the seventh generation there was no Nike Swoosh at all.

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10. Fila disruptor ii

Fila released Disruptor in 1996, and then the chunky white sneakers with the huge saw-cut outsole didn't catch on. Popularity to them (or rather to their reinterpreted version) came only in 2018 - after 26 years! Moreover, Fila Disruptor II is practically no different from the first ones: they have replaced materials and slightly improved their shape. The whole secret is in the right marketing.

In 2018, all fashionistas dreamed of huge "ugly" or "daddy" sneakers like the Balenciaga Triple S. But most of the trending models were too expensive. Then Fila started to promoteThe Fila Disruptor 2 Is a Chunky High-Fashion Shoe for Everybody their Disruptor II as the most affordable oversized sneaker on the market.

The brand began to prepare for the restartThe story of the Fila Disruptor II, the internet's most divisive shoe back in 2014, inspired by the Adidas Originals Ozweego model.

As a result, in 2018, interest in Disruptor II skyrocketed - residents of London, for example, were looking forThese £ 80 sneakers are searched for every 10 minutes in London them on the Internet every 10 minutes. And three seasons later, thanks to these sneakers alone, Fila increased sales in the footwear sector by 60%.

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11. Adidas Yeezy Boost 350

The Yeezy Boost 350 is one of the toughest sneakers in the world to buy. Catching a model in the right size and color is not an easy (but doable) task, because they are produced in a limited edition and, even if the batch is repeated, they are taken apart like hot cakes.

Yeezy Boost 350 - Adidas collaboration with Kanye West. Before that, the musician had already created sneakers, only together with Nike - Air Yeezys. He did not receive profit from the brand, therefore he went to his main competitor.

The Yeezy Boost 350 hit the shelves in 2015. What set it apart from other models on the market was the lightweight, breathable Primeknit body material developed by Adidas. The shoe also had a Boost cushioning sole and a unique design with a longitudinal seam, a loop in the back and unusual lacing.

The first paint job for the Yeezy Boost 350 was Turtle Dove gray and black. Pirate Black followed, followed by earthy Moonrock and beige Oxford Tan.

The second version of the Yeezy Boost 350 was introduced in September 2016. The design of the updated sneakers was changed: they removed the seam, added a side stripe (often contrasting), and made the sole translucent. Now mods are waiting for the Yeezy Boost 350 V3: they supposedly should come outIs The adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V3 Debuting In March? in 2021.

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