The unstoppable rise of sneaker tradition
It has been almost two centuries since American shoemaker Wait Webster patented a method of cementing rubber soles onto the upper of shoes to make them more suitable for athletic activities. The word "sneaker" didn't even exist at the time, and Webster's original idea has gone through countless iterations since then, but he laid the foundation for one of the most universal design objects known to mankind, worn by millions of people every day today.
Today the global sneaker market is valued at around $ 80 billion. Big brands like Nike and adidas launch thousands of new models in endless colors every year. However, the importance of sneakers goes beyond the mere presence of desirable footwear – they have become a cultural symbol of our time. In Sneakers Unboxed, a new exhibition at the London Design Museum, we can delve into the history of the shoe phenomenon and, in particular, examine the monumental rise of sneaker culture over the past four decades.
“I did a fashion sportswear show at the V&A in 2008, and at that point I didn't think people were that ready for the subject. While I now think that people are very open to it in ways that they weren't before, and I think that this has to do with the fact that it has become a key element in everyone's life. Most people wear sneakers every day. I think it's a good time to find out where all this is coming from, ”says the show's curator, Ligaya Salazar, who has developed creative programs for the culture and museum sectors for the past 15 years.
Puma x Clyde Frazier advertisement
The exhibition is divided into two sections: style and performance. It shows the history and development of sneaker design, from the predominantly sporting orientation to what we know today. It starts with early examples of the trainers designed by John Boyd Dunlop's Liverpool Rubber Company that resulted in Dunlop's now iconic Green Flash model being worn by Fred Perry at Wimbledon in 1929, as well as the story of Chuck Taylor, a traveling salesman who worked on Tour was US high schools in the 1920s, teaching basketball, and promoting his Converse All Star boots.