A look at the transformation of sneakers from 1900 to the present assembled by sneakerhead, Jessica Li
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Nike recently debuted its first ever 3D printed football cleat called the Nike Vapor Talon. The shoe utilizes featherweight SLS (Selective Laser Sintering) plate construction technology that uses high-powered lasers to fuse small particles of materials into a three-dimensional shape. Through strategic and well research materials selection, Nike was able to produce a fully functional plate and traction system within a fraction of the traditional time frame and at fraction of the weight. The Nike Talon weighs in at a light 5.6 ounces.
Source: Nike. “Nike Debuts First-Ever Football Cleat Built Using D Prining Technology”. Last Modified: February 24, 2013. http://news.nike.com/news/nike-debuts-first-ever-football-cleat-built-using-3d-printing-technology
#slstechnology#3dprinting#sneakertechnology#footballcleat#nikevaportalon#sneakerhistory#sneakerevolution#sneakerhead
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Nike took advantage of the rising exclusivity and prices people were willing to pay for sneakers by auctioning limited editions pairs for charity. Pictured above are the 2011 Nike MAG which was a limited edition shoe created by Nike. It is a replica of a shoe featured in Back to the Future Part II. In 1989, designer Tinker Hatfield was asked to create a shoe for the second installment of the Back to the Future Series. The shoe had features such as light up panels and self fastening laces. Over 15 years later, an online petition asked for the return of the sneaker which caught the attention of Hatfield. After thousands of hours of work and restarting three times, Hatfield was about to make an exact replica of the original 1989 Nike MAG sneaker. The shoe featured an electroluminescent outsole, space age materials and a rechargeable battery good for 3,000 hours. A limited quantity of 1,500 pairs were auctioned on eBay in September 2011 and proceeds were donated to the The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease research. Online sales of the shoes ranged from $2,300 to nearly $10,000.
Source: Nice Kicks. “Nike MAG Officially Unveiled”. Last Modified: September 8, 2011. http://www.nicekicks.com/2011/09/08/nike-air-mag-officially-unveiled/
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The 21st century also saw a rise in sneaker exclusivity and price value. New, limited edition sneakers created hype and greed for those who wanted exclusive sneakers to call their own. Pictured above are the Nike Air Foamposite One Galaxy which were released in 2012 and and initially cost $220 dollars. Today, the are sold on Ebay for up to $2,000. Sporting a dark, starry upper on a black base, the shoe features attention-grabbing details due to its new print motif and glow in the dark accents.
Source: Nike Kicks. “In Retrospect: Nike Air Foamposite One Galaxy”. Last Modified: February 24, 2013. http://www.nicekicks.com/2013/02/24/in-retrospect-nike-air-foamposite-one-galaxy/
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Yohji Yamamoto’s line Y-3 features modernly designed sneakers worn for streetwear and style. Pictured above is a women’s sneaker, the Y-3 Riyal II.
Source: Y3. “Y3 Riyal II”. Date Accessed: April 17, 2015. http://store.y-3.com/us/y3store/high-top-sneaker_cod44741984gl.html
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Another collaboration with Adidas, this time with an actual fashion designer, was the Wings Collection with Jeremy Scott who is an American designer. Acknowledged for his exuberant bright color designs, he is well regarded among the hip-hop world and followers of streetwear. Scott is famously known for his collaboration with Adidas. He sculpted the acclaimed wings high top (pictured) and teddy bear sneakers.
Source: Kicks on Fire. “Jeremy Scoot & Adidas”. Date Accessed: April 17, 2015. http://www.kicksonfire.com/tag/jeremy-scott/
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The Adidas Yeezy Boost was another collaboration with Kanye West. Similar to the Nike Yeezy, the shoe has boot like silhouette and foot strap. The shoe is made with leather and mesh and was instantly sold out when a limited number of them were released in 2014.
Source: Adidas. “Adidas Yeezy made by Kanye West”. Date Accessed: April 17, 2015. http://www.adidas.com/us/kanye
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Nike Air Yeezy was an official sneaker collaboration project between Nike and Kanye West. Notable as the shoe brand’s first non-athlete full collaboration, the project release the Air Yeezy (2009, pictured first from top) and Air Yeezy II (2012 and 2014, pictured second from top). This also marks an important milestone in sneaker history, where sneakers can be categorized in both athletic and regular streetwear categories with many designers creating high end sneakers.
Source: Sneaker News. “Nike Air Yeezy -- Sneakers by Kanye West”. Last Modified: April 18, 2008. http://sneakernews.com/2008/04/18/nike-x-kanye-west-air-yeezys/
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Another one of the best cushioning systems in the modern era for athletic footwear is ASICS Gel. The technology features a soft gel-like compound within the shoe, designed to absorb impact and provide a smooth ride. The Gel does not break down or lose its cushion over time, providing the same feel the first step to the millionth. Many ASICS customers remain loyal to ASICS thanks to this innovative technology. ASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company that sells footwear and sports equipment for a wide range of sports. The name, “ASICS” is an acronym for the Latin phrase “anima sana in corpore sano” which translates to “a healthy mind in a healthy body”. ASICS in recent years have had their running shoes ranked among the top performance footwear in the market, thanks for such things like their Gel technology. ASICS Ltd. began as Onitsuka Co. (which one of the oldest shoe companies in Japan dating back to 1949), but was later changed when Onitsuka Tiger merged with GTO and JELENK to form the ASICS Corporation in 1977
Source: ASICS. ASICS History. Date Accessed: April 17, 2015. http://corp.asics.com/en/about_asics/history
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The Nike Free sneaker is a shoe that allows the muscles in the foot to gain strength by providing less constriction. It was introduced in 2002 after Nike representatives observed Nike sponsored track athletes training barefoot. This extremely lightweight shoe is built to mimic a barefoot experience, playing less weight and strain on the feet. The Nike Free series began with the 5.0 version in 2005 and has progressed to a 7.0 version which was recently released in 2014.
Source: The New York Times. “Wiggling Their Toes at the Shoe Giants”. Last Modified: August 29, 2009. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/30/business/30shoe.html?_r=0
Empire Avenue. “Nike Free 10 Years”. Last Modified: March 14, 2014. http://www.empireave.com/daily-news/footwear/nike-free-10yrs/
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In 2008, Nike introduced their Flywire Technology that utilizes high-strength threads with minimal weight that act like cables on a suspension bridge, delivering engineered support precisely where it’s needed. This technology had piggy backed off of previous sneaker technology Nike had previously explored. As far back as the late 1980s, Nike had experimented with an ultra lightweight mesh shoe called the Sock Racer but wasn't sturdy enough to provide performance support for athletes.
Source: Nike. “What is Nike Flywire”. Date Accessed: April 17, 2015. http://help-en-us.nike.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/56792/~/what-is-nike-flywire%3F
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The Nike Flyknit Sneaker has been considered on the most innovative technologies in footwear. Initially released in 2012, the Nike Free Flyknit (pictured above) just came out in the past year (2014). Weighing in at a mere 5.6 ounces, the Nike Flyknit Racer introduced the threaded technology to the world. Computer controlled “knitting” technology shapes the shoe upper by combining strands of polyester yarn. This innovative process proved to be a game changer, reducing waste of the Flyknit shoe by some 80% compared to traditional Nike running footwear.
Source: The Guardian. “ How Nike Flyknit Revolutionized the Age-Old Craft of Shoemaking. Last Modified: November 27, 2013. http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/partner-zone-nike1
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The Future of Sneakers 2000-Present
Sneakers in the 21st century are heavily fueled by technology and not necessarily having sneakers bound with the purpose of wearing them for athletic activities. Designers such as Stella McCartney and Yohji Yamamoto has designed sneakers purely for style. Even brands that were founded on strictly athletic based ideals such as Adidas and Nike have collections of sneakers that are designed more for sportswear and style rather than athletic function. In fact, Nike’s Sportswear line which features, clothing, accessories and footwear for both men and women is their largest selling category of all their products. The future of sneakers has also been heavily influenced by technology and science. With the increase in popularity in wearable technology, the sneaker industry continued to be influenced by technical and scientific processes such as 3D printing, textile development and engineering advances for athletic footwear. Such examples of these advances can be seen in Nike's athletic footwear alone which include the recently released 3D printed football cleat (the Vapor Ultimate Cleat), a waterless dying process, and Nike's own trademarked Flyknit and Flywire technology created for increasing athletic footwear performance. But as great as these technological advances and style evolution in sneakers have brought the footwear into a much more modern state, these changes also come with a change in price. Today, we see sneakers sold for up to thousands of dollars and limited editions sneakers flying off the shelves in a second.
#3dprinting#sneakertechnology#sneakerevolution#sneakerhistory#nikeflyknit#nikeflywire#nikevaporultimatecleat
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The 1990′s
Sneakers in the 1990′s were heavily influenced by bold, graphic design and features quirky and fun design elements like the LA Gear Lites which were light up sneakers. Like other fashion at the time, the 1990′s was a time of experimentation, bright, bold colors and fun and the sneakers of this time reflective this playful attitude. Sneakers were beginning to be sold in many colorways which created a desire by some to collect every color sold in specific style. In fact, the term “sneakerhead” refers to an individual who collects sneakers and displays an affinity for them. Designers took risks and designed playful sneakers such as adding platforms, lights, fun prints and textures. The 1990′s was also when Nike, Inc. and Reebok dominated the sneaker industry. The birth of their Air Jordan line by Michael Jordan rose in popularity quickly during the 1990′s as Jordan’s status as a talented basketball player also rose. This also led the trend for sneaker companies utilizing athlete celebrity status and blessing professional athletes left and right with their own signature sneaker. There were also new innovations in sneaker design and concepts. The Huarache was one of the earliest examples of Nike willfully creating a sneaker that was “stripped of the bare essentials” which paved the way for a new type of shoes, Sportswear, which were worn more for style, rather than athletic function.
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Sketchers is an American shoe company founded by CEO Robert Greenburg and his son, Michael in 1992. Robert also founded LA Gear which he left to create Sketchers after the company took a turn for the worse and feel apart. Sketcher’s early products were utility-style boots and skate shoes; the company has since then diversified to include thousands of athletic, casual and dress styles for men, women and children. Sketchers’ popularity rose quickly, thanks to its first major breakthrough with the Chrome Dome shoe (pictured above) which appealed to both men and women and was an urban street boot that reflected the increasing popularity of the “grunge” look among younger consumers.
Source: Forbes. “Sole Survivors”. Last Modified: August 6, 2001. http://www.forbes.com/forbes/2001/0806/062.html
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LA Gear is an American shoe company based in Los Angeles, California and was founded by Robert Greenburg (who later founded Skechers) in 1979. Originally released in 1992, the LA Lights was one of LA Gear’s most successful lines and were sold at a rate of 5 million pairs per year in the 1990′s. Light technology for kids has been one of the most successful launches in in the athletic shoe industry with over 100 million pairs sold in all distribution channels. The first LA Lights sneakers had red lights in the heels and once the wearer’s heel hit the ground, the lights would light up and continue to do so with every step.
Source: Turnaround Management Association. “The Rise and Fall of LA Gear”. Last Modified: November 1, 2001. https://www.turnaround.org/Publications/Articles.aspx?objectID=1806
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Reebok made another huge sneaker appearance in the 1990′s by creating some serious heat with the released of the Kamikaze. This sneaker was worn by Shawn Kemp and was made famous by the zigging and zagging, black and white design across the shoe.
Source: Kicksonfire. “Reebok Kamikaze”. Date Accessed: April 10, 2015. http://www.kicksonfire.com/tag/reebok-kamikaze/
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Designed by Tinker Hatfield, the Nike Huarache was the first truly versatile shoe that Nike had produced and almost immediately jumped out of the running category when it was first released in 1991.
Source: Sneaker News. “ Nike Huarache History: The Evolution of Tinker’s Neoprene Sneakers”. Last Modified: March 5, 2014. http://sneakernews.com/2014/03/05/nike-huarache-history/
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