What Are You Wearing
Have you ever wondered how the existence of sneakers came to be, or when the first one was manufactured? It was during the Industrial Revolution that the invention of sneakers came to be. It was during that time when vulcanized rubber and new methods for productivity were found. Thus making it cheaper to purchase, for before, all shoes were made neither by hands or shoemakers.
The first rubber-soled shoe was manufactured in the 1880’s and was called plimsolls; however, the name changed to Keds in 1892 under the decision of the U.S. Rubber Company. One hundred to 150 years after that, new brands such as the All Star, Adidas, Puma, and later on Nike took over the market. The question here is, “What brand are you wearing?” I’m personally a fan of Nike.
The usage of sneakers wasn’t that famous, at least not until the photograph of James Dean in 1950 showing him with a T-shirt, Levi jeans and a pair of white sneakers. James was a movie star and an icon of teens. Through his fame and popularity, teens all around the world started to wear sneakers as well. It was through movie stars and good athletic players that the usage of sneakers really caught on. At first wearing sneakers was considered as a rebellion against authority, for whatever reason it was, I am not sure. However, they are cheap and could easily be obtained by anyone from any part of the world.
“Keds was the first mass marketed athletic shoes. These shoes were later called sneakers by Henry Nelson McKinney, an advertising agent for N. W. Ayer & Son, because the soles are quiet and make no noise on any surface,” posted Wikipedia.
Chuck Taylor, a sample basketball player gave way to All Star in 1923. Teens and adults ranging from age 12 to 50 bought more than 744 million All Star shoes in that year alone from 144 different countries. If you want to be a great basketball player, perhaps All Star is the right one for you. I take that back.
In 1931, Adidas produced its first tennis shoes. Adi Dassler was the founder, it all started when he handmade them in his mother’s washroom without electricity. Later on, 50 of his family members registered in the business with him. “Adidas is still one of the leading brands of shoes in market,” stated Converse, shoe releasing company.
The brand PUMA was first labeled as PUMA Atom and was founded by Puma Schuhfabrik Rudolf Dassler. Its first usage was by the West German football team in 1948. PUMA was the first to offer Velcro fasteners for sport shoes. A PUMA wearer, Quarterback Joe Namath, led the New York Jets to victory in the 1969 SuperBowl III. What do you say, wearing a PUMA brand might lead you to great victories in life; for example, winning a SuperBowl game? It’s your choice, so make it well.
In mid 20th century, sneakers put on new technologies for athletes. Sports figures, such as Joe Namath, Steve Prefontaine, and Michael Jordan are known for their great performance because of their shoes. Michael Jordan, a Chicago Bulls player, was the first to approve sneakers usage. Not too long after that, 19 Air Jordans were released, and then Jordan XX and countless Team Jordan models followed as well.
Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman was the founder of Nike brand with Blue Ribbon Sports(BRS), as their original name. In 1968, they changed their name to Nike after the Greek goddess of Victory. Their logo was bought from a graphic design student for $35.
The first major athlete to wear Nike was Steve Prefontaine, a great runner and record holder. However, it was not until 1969 when Nike released the first Nike Air sole at a low, mid and high version, and Air Jordan releases that Nike really started to get famous. Nike created a new revolution in shoe design; it was through the Nike Shox, a great way to cushion the foot that led to such a revolution! Thus, Nike is the best brand to use because it has the best technology to cushion the foot. However, the choices are yours, to weather wear an All Stars brand, Adidas brand, PUMA brand, or Nike’s. Chose it wisely!
