Shoe Stories – It cannot be denied, sneakers are a type of versatile shoe that is very comfortable for everyday wear.
Therefore, it is not surprising that sneakers have become the favorite shoes of various groups, from the young to the old generation.
Apart from being comfortable, sneakers are also easy to combine with everyday clothes, making them suitable for various activities.
Behind the current popularity of sneakers , this type of shoe apparently has a long history and has evolved over time.
According to Vogue , the history of sneakers first began in 1839 when an American scientist named Charles Goodyear discovered vulcanized rubber, a flexible material formed from the process of heating rubber.
Several decades after this discovery, there was a breakthrough in rubber that was attached to shoes to get a more durable sole.
1916-1920
Even though sneakers were born in the 19th century, it was only in the 20th century that their development began to become significant, after two companies exploited this potential to bring rubber-soled shoes to the wider public.
At the beginning of its birth, shoes with soles made of rubber could only be worn by a few privileged people.
The US Rubber Company then founded Keds in 1916 and sold its sneakers .
A year later, Converse released its All Star shoes which are still popular today among young people.
Then in the early 1920s, with the support of prominent basketball player and coach Chuck Taylor, whose name is still found on All Stars collections today, Converse continued to grow rapidly.
In 1924, two brothers from Germany named Rudolf and Adolf “Adi” Dassler took part in building a sneaker business and designing footwear for athletes.
1936-1940
Originally created and marketed for various sporting activities, sneakers quickly became popular shoes.
In 1936, Converse were worn by the American basketball team at the Berlin Olympics, while US runner Jesse Owen competed and won four gold medals in Dasslers-designed sneakers.
Because the competition was quite fierce, in the 1940s, Rudolf and Adolf finally created their own sports brand which is now known as two giant brands, Adolf Dassler created adidas, while Rudolf Dassler founded Puma.
1950
Entering the 1950s, children in the United States began to be seen wearing sneakers with matching jeans .
This combination was also seen on various famous US stars, including Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe.
Children are starting to like this type of shoe because of the comfort it offers, its casual feel, and the ability to move freely.
In certain groups, sneakers even symbolize rebellion and the desire to break away from the rules of society at that time.
1970
However, it turns out that it will take another one to two decades for sneakers to be truly accepted and worn by various groups.
In the 1970s, another leading brand emerged, namely Nike, named after the winged goddess of victory in Greek mythology.
The shoes released by Nike aim to improve athletic performance.
Meanwhile, the iconic logo was obtained after Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman accidentally poured rubber into his wife’s waffle maker.
1980
Following in the footsteps of other brands, in 1984, Michael Jordan lent his name to Nike, resulting in the Nike Air Jordan.
This decade also marked the emergence of Reebok, which released sneakers for women.
1990-present
Sneakers are also synonymous with street clothing style. Apart from that, sneakers are also often seen in the hip hop and rap music genres, for example on LL Cool J, Grandmaster Flash, and Run-DMC.
Collaborations between various well-known artists and sneaker brands continue. In 2003, Jay Z collaborated with Reebok and Kanye West on the adidas Yeezy .
The popularity of sneakers continues today, especially among young people who want to look sporty, celebrities and fitness enthusiasts.
Sneakers are now synonymous with various things, from sports interests, culture, music tastes, to comfort.
Various high-end fashion brands such as Prada and Gucci also have their own sneaker collections.
That is the history and development of sneakers from time to time, which apparently has been around since the 19th century, but began to develop rapidly at the beginning of the 20th century.
Are sneakers also your favorite type of shoe?
