sneakers have come a long way, from being used for sport to be in every millennial’s wardrobe! Before the advent of sneakers, a common shoe was used for both casual and formal purposes. In fact, in the 1850s, there was not even a distinction between the left and right shoe!
These days, we have shoes for every occasion- various types of leather shoes for formal wear, specialized shoes for soccer, tennis and practically every sport and we have sneakers that people wear both for sports as well as everyday wear. It is not uncommon for many people to buy sneakers online for upcoming events or when the old sneakers give way.
Nevertheless, sneakers are now an indispensable part of fashion and culture. From the early 19th century, modern inventions like vulcanized rubber and advanced shoe manufacturing technologies meant that these sneakers were within the reach of every young person- irrespective of social class or standing.
How ‘Sneaker’ was coined?
In 1880s, ‘sneakers’ were a term coined by young boys to denote tennis shoes, as they didn’t make any noise on the tennis court. These shoes were just introduced, replacing the noisy and uncomfortable hard leather shoes used till then.
American advertising agent Henry McKinney used this term to refer to shoes that had stealthy rubber soles in 1917. With time, variations of the sneakers gave rise to newer names like High-tops, kicks, pumps, tennis shoes, and trainers (the UK equivalent of sneakers).
How sneakers become popular worldwide?
Charles Goodyear and Bill Bowerman, the founder of Nike. Both of these gentlemen were avid innovators, who stopped at nothing to get their work done as per requirement.
Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber, which did not melt in the heat. This paved the way for the development of mass-produced sneakers under retail price, which helped even the poorest to afford them.
Bill Bowerman, a former University of Oregon track coach, designed customized shoes for his athletes. He faced the challenge of designing shoes which his athletes could wear off-track. His eureka moment came when his wife was making him waffles in the waffle iron.
He poured molten rubber in iron after iron to get a sole that had the same pattern and grooves which could provide the grip and traction needed for sports. The shoes he developed became a sensation, helping Nike to eventually become the world’s largest sportswear brand.
However, this could not have been possible without the help of co-branded shoes with then-novice basketball player Michael Jordan. The Air Jordans, first introduced in 1985, became such a sensation that people lined up outside retail stores at night, to get their hold on the latest Air Jordans. This sub-brand by Nike continues to be wildly popular, even though most people now tend to buy sneakers online.
These were designed not only for sports but also for casual wear. Besides Michael Jordan, other celebrities too endorsed, making them a worldwide sensation.
Nike’s main competitor, Adidas, wasn’t far behind. They partnered with rapper and producer Kanye West to introduce the Yeezy brand. Endorsed by Kanye and other celebrities, the Yeezy brand helped make branded sneakers an anticipatory purchase.
This, along with the use of online shopping, made sneakers a worldwide sensation.
How technology changed sneakers in 2021
Nike, Adidas, and other top brands continue to invest in Research and Development to bring about shoes that help the wearer perform well and to reduce waste. Nike & Adidas are coming up with 3D printed shoes.
Both companies are bringing out sneakers that are lightweight, durable, long-lasting, and which can absorb pressure.
With competition intense, both are working hard towards designing and manufacturing shoes that cater to their customers’ specific demands both for casual as well as sportswear.
Current sneaker market
Currently, Nike and Adidas are the first- and second-most popular sneaker brands in the world respectively. They routinely launch limited-edition on their respective best online sneaker store – sole seriouss, where stocks vanish within seconds.
This has given rise to a sneaker resale market. limited edition used sneakers are bought and sold for 10x Price. The global sneaker market is valued at more than $80 billion Currently.
Initially only favored by kids and young adults. Now even people in their 50s & 60s sports sneakers for jogging and working out. Sneakers have become so mainstream that people do not bat an eyelid whenever someone wears a pair to work.
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