My friends Ben and Collin, have a podcast called The Bull and Hawk Sports Show. This week they wanted me to call in and be one of their guest for their new podcast they are making. Since they know I like fashion and their show is about sports they wanted me to talk about something that would include both of our interests. I decided to do a brief history of basketball shoes.
When the sport started what the usual shoes worn were converse, this was since the beginning. Gross, I know. But that is what was more commonly used because they didn’t have a specific “basketball” shoe like we do today.
It wasn’t until the 70’s when Nike entered the game and changed it. Around this time Puma has also dipped their toes in basketball shoes. Players like Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, during this time we’re given shoes to promote. Other shoe brands had also been present on the court, but none had really put in an effort to make a shoe specifically for the sport. I think that it was intresting how this sport has a span of almost
But During the 80’s and 90’s big basketball players became the face for basketball shoes. It was honestly a genius move by the shoe company’s. They make the public think, your favorite athlete wears theses shoes why dont you and look at how he performs in these shoes, you can too. That’s when the Air Jordan’s launched, and well the rest is history.
While many people may think they’re just shoes, I think that they are more than that. They are not just for necessity, but a lot of the time as an accessories. Basketball shoes since their creation have been elevating and elevating. From changing the silhouette to the material the shoes have been made, each decade brings new life to a now classic and staple piece for many people.
They have also had such a huge impact in the fashion world, fashion houses that predate the sport have even included them. Recently Dior collaborated with Nike to release the Dior x Air Jordan 1. Also Prada collaborated with Adidas to releases their own type of sneaker. This is not including the many popular shoe releases beforehand that had either a celebrity like Travis Scott or another Sports player like Derrick Rose, who also have had their own collaborations.
bottom: Dior x Air Jordan
All these shoe releases creates a niche. People in today’s day don’t buy basketball shoes just to play basketball but to collect them. (Some people don’t even wear the shoes, they just buy them and keep them to have.) These people are self proclaimed “sneaker heads”. The way woman are stereotypically obsessed with buying designer shoes; this is a mans version (can be woman as well).
Sneakers and basketball shoes in particular have seen themselves in the center of the street style phenomenon, well because they are street. They either tone down a look and make it look more casual or elevate a look and make it look put together; making it a great shoe to have and own. Basketball shoes have been changing since the start and I believe will continue to do so. What has been your favorite pair you’ve owned ?
J’s Journal 