All the Sneakers
SNEAKERS: THE BOOMING STREETWEAR MARKET
FROM TRAINERS TO SNEAKERS: A HISTORY WITH A STRONG HERITAGE
Sneakers have their genesis in the United States over a century ago. It all started with the discovery of an American scientist who later gave his name to one of the world's largest tyre companies, Goodyear. In 1939, Charles Goodyear invented a way to make rubber more flexible, creating a material that was stronger, easier to handle and waterproof. This innovation revolutionised the design of shoes with the appearance of the first rubber soles, which were extremely durable. The first shoes to use this technology were tennis shoes, which characterise the appearance of modern pairs. It wasn't until the end of the 90s that the first modern trainers were created. Two companies shaped the 20th century: US Rubber Company with their Keds and Converse with the All Star. Converse completely revolutionized the world of trainers. The first silhouette to walk the NBA floor, it relied on the former basketball player Chuck Taylor to expand its influence. Through basketball camps throughout the United States, the ambassador popularised and sold his model to all young basketball players.
In the mid-1930s, the Dassler brothers also began to manufacture shoes for running and top athletes. The great runner Jesse Owen wore a pair of shoes designed by Rudolf and Adolf Dassler for his four legendary victories at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. After the Second World War, the two men split up, creating two separate basketball empires, Adidas and Puma. But it was in the 1950s that the term sneaker was born. Young Americans began wearing trainers with their baggy jeans, a symbol of rebellion and provocation. The practical, comfortable and all-purpose aspect of sneakers made them so popular that their primary use was diverted to everyday wear.
Into this dynamic, many sports brands appeared, including the most famous of all, Nike. In 1970, the Oregon-based brand, which takes its name from Greek mythology's goddess of victory, Niké, began to offer silhouettes dedicated to running. Bill Bowerman, one of the founders of Nike, had an idea in his kitchen. Why not mould the soles of the trainers from a waffle iron? That led to the very first running silhouette equipped with this new gripping sole, the Waffle trainer. Nike captured the sneaker trend perfectly and managed to combine sporty and lifestyle models. Great ambassadors like Michael Jordan and his signature Air Jordan range soon dethroned Converse's Chuck Taylor. Over the years, sports equipment manufacturers have amplified their influence by teaming up with designers such as Yohji Yamamoto with Adidas, Salehe Bembury with New Balance or artists like Travis Scott with Nike. You'll have noticed that sneakers are now the norm in terms of footwear. Everywhere around us, trainers are ubiquitous; whatever the professional environment or occasion, everyone wears sneakers – and that's not going to stop any time soon.
LEGENDARY SNEAKER COLLABORATIONS: YEEZY, NIKE OFF-WHITE, Y3, NIKE TRAVIS SCOTT
Adidas was by far the first sports equipment manufacturer to integrate designers into its sneaker ranges. Since 2001, the famous Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto and his Y3 line have been reinventing sneakers and sportswear for the brand with the 3 stripes. Taking inspiration from the artist with sober pieces in plain black and white colours combining techwear and functionality, this line revisits Adidas silhouettes like the Pureboost. Similarly, for a while, the famous Belgian designer Raf Simons had the chance to create his own sneaker line, making an innovative link between luxury and sportswear with his Raf Simons Ozweego silhouette. But the designer who completely turned Adidas into a major player in the sneaker industry is Kanye West. Through innovative and avant-garde design, he created one of the most iconic models of the last 10 years: the Yeezy Boost 350 V2. With numerous colour variations and different Yeezy models, such as the 700 or the 500, the German brand now competes directly with the American firm Nike.
The brand with the swoosh marked 2017 in a big way with one of the world's most popular collaborations, Nike x Off-White. The swoosh teamed up with designer Virgil Abloh, founder of the Italian house Off-White and current artistic director of Louis Vuitton's men's collections. The Chicago-based designer rethought 10 Nike models through The Ten collection. He displayed his talent by destructuring each pair and integrating technical materials. Air Jordan 1, Air Force 1, Nike Dunk Low – all the models resulting from this collaboration are now collection pieces symbolising the meeting between a luxury streetwear house and a sports giant. A true global success, the two brands continue to extend their partnership with textile and sneaker collections that revisit each sport discipline, such as tennis and running. But Nike's strength lies in the artists it counts among its ambassadors. The company was able to integrate the creativity and universe of the most influential artists of the decade, as in its collaborations with the Houston rapper Travis Scott. Together, they offered us the magnificent Nike Air Force 1s, with interchangeable swooshes or, more recently, with inserts of different materials like the Nike Air Force Fossil.
These two brands are not the only ones to offer strong collaborations. Puma has a very fruitful partnership with the world-famous singer Rihanna. With its Fenty collection, the German brand allows the singer's universe to express itself in reworked Puma suede shoes. The appearance of a thick sole brought a heel effect to this classic sneaker. Similarly, Asics does not hesitate to take on well-known designers such as Sean Wotherspoon. A highly anticipated collaboration from 2020, the famous founder of RoundTwo revisited a silhouette from the Japanese brand in his characteristic style with corduroy inserts and customisable Asics stripes. Sneakers have conquered all artistic worlds to the point of becoming a fashion statement in their own right.
In 2020, the Boston-based equipment manufacturer New Balance experienced a phenomenal renaissance thanks to a new product communication strategy, original collaborations and impeccable product quality. The brand teamed up with entities which are more or less known to the general public, such as Jaden Smith, Salehe Bembury, Charaf Tajer's Parisian fashion label Casablanca, and the New York firm Aime Leon Dore, created by Teddy Santis, who is the new creative director of the Made In USA line. These personalities have contributed to the launch of successful new models such as the New Balance 550, the New Balance 2002R, 1906R, 9060 and the New Balance 530.
SNEAKERS OF THE FUTURE: NIKE HYPERADAPT, ADIDAS FUTURECRAFT, NIKE SPACE HIPPIE
Sports equipment manufacturers are constantly innovating, pushing the limits of technology. Nike continues to improve the comfort and accessibility of sport for all. True to the motto of Tinker Hatfield, Nike's legendary designer, the American sports giant offered us a brand-new revolutionary technology: self-lacing. This is how the Nike Adapt came into being. A real technological feat, it allows automatic lacing and follows the shape of any foot, offering perfect comfort and support for all athletes. Once the sneaker is connected to a smartphone, it is possible to customise the colours of the LEDs and adjust the lacing directly in the dedicated application. Brands are also innovating in their manufacturing process. Taking into consideration environmental issues, we recently saw Nike release a collection of 4 unique models with a fully biodegradable mesh. Called Nike Space Hippie, this collection is made from plastic waste. The sneakers feature an innovative design that combines a trendy colourway with a beautiful orange swoosh. This is a testament to Nike's philosophy of environmental awareness.
Adidas was the first sports brand to commit to the environmental cause. The brand imagined an innovative and audacious device that put the consumer at the center of the life cycle of its trainers. With its FutureCraft model, Adidas offered us the first 100% recyclable sneaker. With a beautiful white shape and a boost sole, the German equipment manufacturer suggested that we bring back the sneakers once they are worn out in order to recycle them. This emerging initiative has been welcomed by sneaker lovers and sportsmen. Whether in terms of technical innovation or more ethical manufacturing processes, brands are making progress year after year. So, how far will sneakers go?