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The indispensable
The essentials of culture SNEAKERS
THE sneakers Having become the spearhead of the fashion sector for a few years, so much so that this product steeped in history has become the "Go to" of all brands wanting to target youth. Of Jordan to Balenciaga through Nike, The "Sneakermania" is today an essential movement.
The origin of the SNEAKERS
At the start of its history, the sneaker is nothing more than a shoe for children. Indeed, the first evocation of the word " sneakers »Date of the beginning of the 20th century. In full boom in industry and rubber in sectors such as the automobile, a brand then has the idea of integrating a flexible sole into its models.
Composed entirely in rubber, the sole of the "Keds" is a revolution. Making no noise unlike completely leather shoes of the time, they are nicknamed " sneakers (Silent). Following this background trend, it is then the turn of the silhouette All-Star of Converse based on the same composition of making its appearance. At the edge of war, new manufacturers arrive on the market. Belonging to the two Dassler brothers, the European brands Adidas And Puma appear. Respectively created in 1948 and 1949, these two new arrivals in the world of sportswear became equipment manufacturers in Europe.
THE sneakers Mark the spirits by also becoming a symbol of contestation against segregation. Especially on the occasion of the Olympic Games Mexico In 1968, when American runners Tommie C. Smith and John Carlos finished 1st and 3rd in the 200 meters. It is on the podium that history is written when they raise their gloved fists and will remove their pair of Puma Suede, symbol of their belonging to the movement Black Panther.
It is with the rise of basketball And the NBA that things will accelerate. Converse, In search of market share, combines the Chuck Taylor basketball player. Together they create the Chuck Taylor model All-Star which is placed as the reference of the sports shoe. Adidas And Puma also invest the basketball courts: Adidas with the Superstar and Puma with the Clyde. A new entrant who wants to revolutionize the world of sports equipment is born and settles in the NBA. This new label is called Nike And his pair is called La Blazer.
With the progressive decline of Converse, Nike takes an increasingly important place and will gradually become a major player in the market. The popularity of the NBA grows and becomes such that all young people adopt the style of their idols. And it goes through their sneakers. This is how in the 80s, sports shoes will gradually invade the streets and change their status.
The birth of culture
Culture represents the set of codes, knowledge and behaviors of a community or civilization. Invading the streets and making a place of choice on the feet of young people, the sneakers gradually integrate "street culture". This is why pairs created for the field like the revolutionary Nike Air Force 1 become symbolic for the inhabitants of the districts.
Nike will depress the nail by taking a young basketball player in contracts named Michael Jordan. Number 23 of Chicago Bulls then becomes the legend that everyone knows and will have the right to a pair in his effigy, the Air Jordan 1. After its release in 1985, the controversial model became the icon of a movement and a generation. Following this Michael Jordan And Nike Create the brand together Jordan, thus entering the history of fashion and sneakers.
The advent of hip-hop culture gives brands an even greater and powerful aura. Shared between the East Cost of the streets of New York, and the West Coast of the Californian beaches, this culture resulting from various influences will give a soul to the shoes. This urban spirit, we find it in the codes of gang life but also in those of skaters/surfers. Developing in parallel with the fashion industry dominated by the wealthy and luxury houses, this lifestyle is above all that of ordinary people.
This movement is expressed in a very creative way in different artistic fields: from fashionable graffiti to music. Appropriation and customization are then the watchwords. Thus many artists such as the Run DMC group or LL Cool will highlight models such as Adidas Superstar or Air Jordan 1.
Over the years hip-hop/rap culture is becoming more and more popular, crossing the Atlantic and attracting brands in passing. Many models are emerging such as Nike Air Max of Tinker Hatfield where the Air Jordan 11. The collaborations between artists and brands are democrating like the Reebok S.Carter in collaboration with Jay-Z. Culture is underway!
SNEAKERS 2.0
Since then, the phenomenon has only increased exponentially. Exclusive and collaboration pairs will appear. Even in France, rappers such as Booba have the right to a pair in their effigy. Premium luxury and ready-to-wear brands are interested in urban fashion and stop seeing the "Street" movement as a subculture. Meanwhile Adidas, Nike And Jordan are constantly renewing itself in order to create ever more technical and modern products. Nike then takes the lead by buying Converse And by creating timeless classics. Adidas adopts him the role of the innovator: pairs like the Adidas Ultra-Boost are born, while Nike reinvents its classics to the collapses of collaborations.
In this period, the market sneakers is revolutionized by an individual, Kanye West. He collaborates with several brands like Bape, Louis Vuitton, And Nike. After creating the famous Nike Air Yeezy, he leaves Nike And collaborates with Adidas. He then became the first artist to negotiate a sponsorship contract with a brand.
Thanks to its brand Yeezy and the silhouette of the 350 Boost, it puts the sneaker from a simple sporting accessory to an exclusive object of high-Fashion. Fashion then dreams of sneakers and sneakers Addicts are impatiently awaiting each of the brand's releases. In response, Nike associates with the brand Off-White created by Virgil Abloh, Protected and friend of Kanye West. Together they create classics envied by all lovers of sneakers.
To reach a new target and modernize, luxury houses are gradually starting to create their sneakers like Balenciaga and its Triple S or Dior with his B23. Louis Vuitton go so far as to name Virgil Abloh to the management of his men's collection. Having transcended their nature of simple objects, the sneakers today embody a certain lifestyle. Emblem of style and youth, some pairs are today pieces of history and the symbols of a powerful movement. For lovers of sneakers Or the neophytes, the Wethenew team has made a selection of essential silhouettes and models. Of the pair accessible to the rare pearl, of the Yeezy to the Jordan, Anyone can enter culture!
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