History of the Sneaker
The origins of the sneaker reside in rubber soled shoes in the late nineteenth century. Profitable lines such as Keds, Converse, Puma, and Nike revolutionized athletics and comfort wear over the next century. Soon, sports stars began to lend their names and images to corporate shoes. This created entire lines of clothing and fashion, spiking sales and giving way to an entire subculture. Does this Spark an idea?
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History
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Rubber soled shoes were first called plimsolls. The major defect in the shoes were their size and lack of distinguishing between a right and left foot, making them relatively uncomfortable. Finally, in 1892, Goodyear begins to mass produce a rubber soled shoe called Keds. The advertising for the brand called them sneakers. The title came from the fact that someone could "sneak up on someone" while wearing them.
A revolution in specialization occurred in 1917 when a company called Converse introduced a canvas and rubber shoe geared towards basketball. The All-Star sported ankle support as the canvas would go higher up the leg than a normal shoe, creating the high top.
Features
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1920 saw the formation of Adidas by Adi Dassler in his mother's washroom. The company eventually released the first tennis shoe in 1931, creating a fad that continued for the next twenty years. Puma moved towards the idea of supplying entire sports teams with shoes in 1948. The company supplied the West German football team with shoes, highlighting their brand name in the Olympics.
1950 ushered in a decade that introduced the youth as a buying power in the United States. The image of rebellion provided by pop stars like James Dean helped to spur sales of sneakers to new heights. Wide varieties and styles of sneakers became available. With the support of sports stars, new technologies burst onto the scene.
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Function
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Throughout the remainder of the twentieth century, an emphasis on technology became the focus of companies. In 1968, a company called Nike, named after the Greek Goddess of Victory, began to market new designs and technologies. It developed the waffle sole. This created additional grip and traction for athletes. In 1979, Nike made the largest advancement in athletic shoes since their early inception. With the Nike Air, the company revolutionized cushioning by adding a pocket of air in the heel of the shoe. This resulted in added padding for athletes, aiding the safe and comfortable utilization of sneakers for an active lifestyle.
Types
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Many styles and types of sneakers are available from a variety of companies. Amongst these are the overall athletic shoe and the modern, redesigned cleat. Racing and track shoes were developed for Olympic athletes to better enhance their abilities. Track shoes generally implement a rubber based bottom while adding small spikes for better grip. Some of the most popular sneakers are those designed for basketball. These can range in styles, but they usually offer ankle support and utilize the air technology developed by Nike.
Considerations
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Sneaker companies have used popular sports stars in their advertising and marketing of shoes since almost their inception. The Chuck Taylor All-Star is one of the oldest and most profitable pair of sneakers. Released in 1923, it has sold more than 744 million pairs and maintained its popularity for decades. Converse's Jack Purcell tennis shoe spiked sales, and Joe Namath's Super Bowl III victory with Pumas added more attention to that company.
In 1985, Nike introduced perhaps the most successful line of shoes ever with the Air Jordan. Utilizing the success of Chicago Bulls star Michael Jordan, the line has continued to be one of the fastest selling in the industry. Beyond the shoes themselves, Nike was able to move the iconic image into other merchandise, redeveloping the sneaker into an entire sports clothing line.
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