Sneakers: A Collective Affair

NEWS | October 13, 2020

Montage Sneakers Rombaut collection automne hiver

Within the past few decades, sneakers have found their way onto everyone's feet. A staple accessory in any wardrobe, they've become the scene's most democratic footwear choice. A true fashion phenomenon, some of the most legendary pairs attract premium prices and are exposed in showrooms and even museums around the world, where they're regarded as authentic works of art. How did sneakers become the contemporary fashion world's latest must-have?

Originally a term for shoes with rubber soles, sneakers first appeared at the end of the 19th century. The first pair in history is attributed to Keds, a subsidiary of American tire giant Uniroyal. If new brands quickly entered the ring to compete with the sneaker pioneers, it wasn't until the 1960s that the style became widely available, in large part thanks to the NBA. Donned by the league's most famous athletes, from Chuck Taylor to Michael Jordan, sneakers were from then on associated with sports legend.

With strong links to counterculture, they were indispensable to hip-hop and break-dancers, or "B-Boys," creative movements that evolved and multiplied in the America of the 1980s. Prompted by Run-DMC and Jay-Z, sneakers then enabled people to celebrate their social identity and, in a way, turn into symbols of empowerment. They've since played an essential role in urban culture, notably in streetwear, and in the fashion world more widely, as illustrated by designer Virgil Abloh and brands like Maison Margiela, Gucci, Rick Owens, and Prada. Creators, artists, and sneakerheads: everyone's catching on to the phenomenon. They can be modernized, customized, and even transformed into state-of-the-art technology.

While there's no denying they are part of mass consumption, today sneakers are also front and center at some of the most prestigious auction houses and museums. Who could forget the pair of 1985 Nike Air Jordans that sold last May for $560,000; or else Michael Jordan's game-day pair, which sought $615,000 at Christie's this past August? Never one to miss a cultural phenomenon, Netflix portrays collectors and re-sellers in its Sneaker Addicts series, released September 25. Our collective love affair with our kicks has even become a hot topic in museums, illustrated by exhibitions like "The Rise of Sneaker Culture" in Brooklyn in 2015, or the current "Playground — Le design des Sneakers" ("the design of sneakers") in Bordeaux, where until January 2021 visitors will discover the biggest European retrospective dedicated entirely to sneakers. From all angles, their days in the limelight have only just begun.