The sneakers, formerly symbols of athletics, have transcended their primary function to become objects of everyday and fashionable life. Back on the history of this shoe that has become cult through 8 facts to know.
#1 without vulcanized rubber, no sneakers
It is to the American scientist, Charles Goodyear, that we owe the invention in 1839, which would allow sneakers to emerge: vulcanized rubber.
If, like us, you do not know what it is, we explain to you: it is a process of adding sulfur to the heated rubber to obtain a foldable substance, both waterproof and fluffable.
#2 They were reserved for athletes
This revolutionary process will first be reserved for athletes. At the beginning of the 20th century, basketball as we know it (or almost) becomes popular thanks to two major actors:
- The American rubber company launched the Keds model in 1917, canvas sneakers.
- The well-known Marque Converse launched the first All Stars in 1918. The American basketball team bore the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936.
#3 A family story between Adidas and Puma
At the end of the Second World War in Germany, Adolf Dassler founded the sports brand Adidas, just a year after his brother, Rudolf Dassler, created the competing brand Puma.
The origin of these two hyper -known brands dates back to a now legendary family dispute, without which neither Puma nor Adidas would exist today.
The brothers worked together on two -band sneakers and, in 1919, the duo founded the Gebrüder Dassler company (better known as Geda).
But at the end of the Second World War, Geda's activities stopped. For what ? Rumors say that their creative visions were too different or that their women hated themselves ... The answer is still not clear today.
#4 An ideological meaning similar to jeans
A bit like the jeans In the 1950s, sneakers were synonymous with rebellion and desire to get out of the restrictive clothing rules of the time. We can see the JEANS-BASKETS combination more and more, especially in the United States, and she likes athletes as much as Hollywood stars.
#6 Nike has revolutionized the world of sneakers
1972: Nike, which was already a pillar of sports basketball, launches the “Moon Shoe”. It was designed to offer more traction and comfort than other sneakers on the market.
Its beginnings mark a revolution in the shoe industry thanks to its rubber sole, the “Waffle Sole”. It was much lighter and offered better traction than other athletics soles.
"A shoe should be three things: light, comfortable and it must be the distance," said Bill Bowerman, the co -founder of Nike.
For the anecdote, the "Moon Shoe" bears this name because the brands that the soles Waffle Sole left on the athletics track looked like the footprints that astronauts left on the moon in 1969.
Only 12 pairs were manufactured for American Olympic trials from 1972 and one of them was sold to several hundred thousand dollars in 2019.
#7 The world of sneakers and hip-hop go hand in hand
Since the 1970s, sneakers have been inseparable from the world of hip-hop. Hip-hop culture has brought several trends with it, notably that of sneakers. They are part of the aesthetics focused on sportswear and street-style.
This heritage continues today, with collaborations between great artists (Jay Z, Kanye West) and sneakers (Reebok, Adidas, etc.).
#8 Towards an ecological basketball
Today, eco -responsible brands are committed to creating ethical and environmentally friendly sneakers, with cleaner materials. This is the case of Veja, which studied for 4 years, the best way to create sneakers combining performance with recycled and bio -based materials.
And for your little pieces, go to our e-shop to discover sneakers Veja and babymocs 🥰 👟
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