Sneakers History

This is the Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement”. It was first released in 1988, and since then it has been retroed 4 times. This could be considered the most important sneaker in history as it helped propel Air Jordan, and perhaps save Nike. This particular shoe did for sneakers what the Iphone did for phones. And right now I am sure most of you are thinking… sneakers? I’m sure many of you are questioning how I was even allowed to give a speech in a college event about investing, and that is fair. Perhaps some of you have never even thought about your shoes that much, even though they have been right under your nose for decades. But yes, I am talking about sneakers, and data, and Nike and how they are all related to the future of online commerce and

The first shoe with the Nike Swoosh was introduced in 1972, and with it an ancient flame was rekindled. This started what would become the most popular and well known brand name in the history of the shoe industry, and did justice to the ancient goddess of victory for which it stands.

Feet are not perfectly straight they have a degree of curve. Straight shape is found in motion control shoes. The straighter a shoe is the more stability you have. Semi-Curved shape is found in stability shoes. The curved shape is found in lightweight neutral shoes. The upper shoe holds your foot in place. The upper shoe contains three materials. Synthetic leather that is used for durability. Mesh is used to make the shoe breathable. Reflective material is used to make the shoe more safe. The midsole is the most important part of the shoe. The midsole contains three materials. EVA is a lightweight foam-based cushioning. Dual-Density EVA material gives the shoe double the density Polyurethane material is a very durable cushioning. The outsole is made up of two materials. The carbon rubber material is the most durable part of the outsole. The blown rubber material is lighter and has more flexibility and cushion. Insoles may or may not help with running, but can help if feet are uncomfortable and provide extra cushioning. Waterproof running shoes are packed with sheaths of Gore-tex. Running shoes with Gore-tex will help drain the water faster and will keep your feet dry longer. Waterproof shoes resist sweat to get out. When the feet are immersed in water or sweat can develop which can cause athlete’s foot and swelling.

Michael Jordan’s, Nike, Adidas and Puma their shoe sales went up in the 1980’s. Amber J. Keyset started to design different shoes starting with Michael Jordans. When one pair was released more people grew into them either for the style or the history behind the pair. “Sneakerhead;a person who collects trade and/or admires sneakers as a form of a hobby, knowledgeability on sneakers”(Powell). Sneakerhead culture impacted the society with its new look and style by making them more desirable and increasing the shoe industry.

<br>Rubber-soled shoes were first mass-marketed as canvas-top "sneakers" by U.S. Rubber, with its keds® in 1917. But the elevation of athletic shoe manufacture to both a science and a fashion was due largely due to Phil Knight and Steve Bowerman of Oregon.

The year an NBA legend started his professional career, Michael Jordan. He established himself as a very dominant player averaging 28.2 points per game in his rookie year. Soon after that he won the rookie of the year award topping off his first season in the NBA. Outside of the court, Jordan signed off a major deal with Nike shoes called Air Jordans. Which influenced the fashion industry forever. Every company wanted to associate themselves with the next big star. Throughout the decade every company from Adidas to Reebok was throwing their names out there to get into the act this started the so-called “sneaker wars”.

Although the history of Sneakerheads is very brief ,there is much to say.Sneaker culture was introduced by hip-hop act Run-DMC and Basketball player Michael Jordan in the mid 1980’s(Gxolo).At that time Run-DMC was very popular in music and had recently signed a million dollar contract with Adidas because of how quickly the popularity in the shoes

The NBA was founded in 1946, now a day’s players wear their Jordan’s and Nikes, but in the 1940’s most basketball players wore their converse (Ferro p.1). When converse first debuted in 1917, they were created to be worn as an athletic sneaker (Ferro p.1). With a rubber sole and a canvas top, the players laced up their converse and were ready to hit the court (Green Label p.1). Converse has been around now for about 100 years. Their design has not changed very much at all, but the reason people wear them has changed (Green label p.1).

To begin, many sneakers are known history. Many years ago, a pair of shoes was only six dollars and that was technically considered expensive and only the wealthiest people could afford to buy them. According to the article “The History of Sneakers” , it says, “In 1868, sneakers cost six dollars a pair so only the wealthy people could afford to wear them…”. So back then, even the wealthiest people could afford a pair of shoes that cost

To begin with, sneakers have been around for around 3,000 years. The Maya, Olmecs and Aztecs all made flexible, waterproof sneakers. As it states in passage 1 paragraph 1, “Imagine dipping your foot into sticky, melted rubber. After you let the rubber dry, you peel it off your foot. Then you let your temporary shoe harden by the fire.” So they would basically cover their feet in white sap that they’ve tapped from trees and let it sit until it was a pair of shoes. If it wasn't for them there's a chance

It was the year 1917 , when the company Converse - former manufacturer of rubber boots - launched a basketball shoe called "Converse Chuck Taylor All Star" . An icon was born. Over the years, Converse developed a high-tech sport shoe with toe cap for protection, vulcanized sole and even ventilation. In addition to the high-top sneaker, there is also a low-top variant, the "Oxford".

Sneakers have been around since the late 1800s. The first rubber soled shoes were called Plimsolls, and there was neither a right nor left shoe (Fact Monster, 2000). They were a canvas material and the sole was rubber to have them be inexpensive and wearable during sports. Plimsolls were essential in the summer time because they kept your feet cool and they also dried quickly from water. The all white Plimsolls became a fashion statement for Victorian promenades, which they wore them with Madras jackets and flannels (Kippen, 2008).

Designers did not stop there, when it comes to footwear styles. By the middle of the 1930’s, the fashion creators came with the idea of platform sandals. They ranged from those featuring simply “tall wood or cork soles and padded leather straps” to more fancy styles featuring “gold-colored leather straps with

Throughout the 1960’s- 1970’s Converse launched a new athletic performance footwear, apparel and accessories for basketball, tennis, football, track, wrestling and other sports. By this time well known athletes could not wait to own a pair of Converse shoes. A decade later Converse invests in athletic biomechanics research, leading to technical

Converse Inc. is a designer, distributor and marketer of high-performance and casual athletic footwear and apparel for men, women and children. The Company's products primarily include athletic footwear distinguished by its sports classics, sports performance and sports lifestyle product categories. The sports classics footwear category includes the Chuck Taylor All Star, the Jack Purcell tennis shoe, the One Star court shoe and other authentic heritage products. The sports performance footwear category focuses on basketball footwear, while the sports lifestyle products are designed to appeal to trend-conscious consumers seeking casual footwear. Converse has been around since 1908 and begins in Massachusetts USA. By 1918 Chuck Taylor joined the Converse Rubber Company and had his signature on the classic All Star ankle patch that you see today. Rock & Roll and pro basketball grew up in Converse High Tops, and All Stars finally came in colors. Strength of SWOT analysis show that Converse is a very competitive organization. Marquis Mills which is the Founder and CEO is often quoted as saying that 'Business is war without bullets.' Converse has a healthy dislike of its competitors. However Converse sponsored the top athletes and gained valuable coverage. Converse is having a strong brand identity and attracting consumers who not only wear their sneakers for functional reasons but also as a means of expression. Consumer loyalty is high with Converse sneakers because it