{"id":15339,"date":"2025-01-04T08:00:45","date_gmt":"2025-01-04T00:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/?p=15339"},"modified":"2025-03-28T17:11:18","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T09:11:18","slug":"sneakers-get-your-kicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/sneakers-get-your-kicks\/","title":{"rendered":"Sneakers: Get Your Kicks!"},"content":{"rendered":"
Once the domain of sportspeople, the humble sports shoes have evolved into collectibles and invaded popular culture, with some even auctioned for over $1 million! Read on to learn more about these coveted sneakers and quick tips on how to start your collection.<\/strong><\/h5>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

What\u2019s a pair of lifestyle sports shoes called nowadays? Over in the US, they are called \u2018Sneakers\u2019, which was first used in 1887 in a Boston Journal of Education article due to how quiet rubber-soled shoes were on the ground, followed by \u2018Kicks\u2019, slang for shoes first used in 1897 and made popular in the 1980s, and across the Atlantic Ocean, \u2018Trainers\u2019 is more commonly used. In this article, the three words are used interchangeably.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Sneakers, for a better and more popular word, became mainstream sometime in the 1980s. One man almost single-handedly started the kicks craze \u2013 Michael Jordan \u2013 with his eponymous line of basketball shoes, Jordan, under Nike, that launched in 1984.<\/p>\n

The story was that Nike had Jordan wear black and red high-cut basketball shoes on the court during NBA (National Basketball Association) games. Back then, NBA required basketball shoes to be a minimum of 51% white, and Jordan was fined a total of US$410,000 that season! Nike gladly paid the fine, as it was a calculated marketing move that eventually netted Nike US$70 million within two months of the shoes\u2019 release in April 1985.<\/p>\n

Fast forward to 2020, on the 35th anniversary of Air Jordan 1 (first design\/year was named \u20181\u2019 and so on), Sotheby\u2019s auctioned off a signed pair of Air Jordan 1 worn by Jordan for US$560,000!<\/p>\n

However, the current world record for the most expensive auctioned sneakers, sold in 2023, is US$2.2 million for a signed pair of Air Jordan 13 worn by Michael Jordan in 1998. Four out of the six most expensive sneakers were worn by him.<\/p>\n

The history\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Let\u2019s delve into the origin of sneakers. The first sneakers, called plimsolls, were canvas with rubber soles and worn by sailors on ship decks and later by the general public at beaches in the 1830s. In 1839, Charles Goodyear invented vulcanised rubber, and it made its way to be used as soles on shoes.<\/p>\n

From the beach to the track, in 1895, J W Foster and Sons (predecessor of Reebok) designed and made the first running shoes, the grandfather of all sports shoes.<\/p>\n

The big brands\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

With almost 150 years of branded sneakers, three brands stand out in capturing the market share in 2022 \u2013 Nike with 18% global market share, Jordan with 11%, and Adidas with 9%.<\/p>\n

Nike<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Incorporated initially as Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS) in 1964, after a split from Tiger (later known as Onitsuka Tiger), BRS was renamed Nike in 1971. Nike\u2019s illustrious history started then with the self-designed Cortez and Waffle Racer, to snatching Michael Jordan from Adidas in 1984, and the pervasive \u2018Just Do It\u2019 tagline in 1987.<\/p>\n

Nike Cortez (1971)\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Nike Waffle Racer<\/strong>\"\"<\/h3>\n

In 1972, Nike launched the \u2018Waffle Racer\u2019, also nicknamed the \u2018Moon Shoe\u2019 due to the patented waffle sole \u2013 resembling the footprint on the moon \u2013 that Bill Bowerman, Nike\u2019s co-founder, created. This shoe kickstarted Nike\u2019s empire.<\/p>\n

Nike Air Force 1\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Moving into the 1980s, Nike released the iconic Air Force 1 in 1982, being the first basketball shoe with \u2018air\u2019 pockets in the sole. Since its reissue in 1986, over 2,500 colour variations have been produced. In 2007, at the 25th anniversary of the Air Force 1, they launched the Air Force XXV, inspired by the original model and it is this model that\u2019s selling now. For over 40 years, the Nike Air Force 1 was and still is the king of sneakers in the sneaker world.<\/p>\n

Air Jordan 1 (1984)\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Then in 1984, Nike\u2019s most famous sub-brand, Jordan debuted. Michael Jordan wore Air Jordan\u2019s prototype \u2018Air Ship\u2019 in his first NBA season and the rest is sneaker history. After 40 years, the Air Jordan 1 is still the most popular and best-selling Jordan shoe.<\/p>\n

Nike Air Max 1\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

One of the most iconic designs, the Air Max 1 debuted in 1987, being the first sneaker with a visible Air sole in the heel, inspired by Paris\u2019 Centre Pompidou\u2019s deconstructed architecture and designed by Nike\u2019s famed designer Tinker Hatfield.<\/p>\n

For the past 37 years, many iterations and trends followed, but it is the Air Max 1 that endures.<\/p>\n

Adidas<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Initially co-owned by Adolf \u201cAdi\u201d Dassler and his older brother Rudolf Dassler, after they split and set up individual businesses, the former renamed Adidas while the latter became PUMA. The iconic three stripes was a branding from Karhu Sports that Adidas bought in 1952, and cemented Adidas as \u201cThe Three Stripes Company.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adidas is the largest brand for football shoes today, as evident since the beginning of Adolf Dassler\u2019s shoe factory in 1920 when he patented a football shoe with nailed leather studs.<\/p>\n

Adidas Samba<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\"\"The first Adidas shoe was the Samba, created as a football training shoe on icy pitches in 1950. It took on the now familiar shape in 1972, and the rest is Samba history.<\/p>\n

There was a brief resurgence of the silhouette from 2020 to 2023 with various collaborations that upped Samba\u2019s cultural clout in the fashion world, with many celebrities seen wearing them. The Adidas Samba won the Shoe of the Year Award in 2023.<\/p>\n

Adidas Stan Smith<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"\"
Image Credit: https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.adidas.com.sg<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1965, a tennis shoe named after French tennis player Robert Haillet debuted. It was the first leather tennis shoe designed to improve comfort and breathability. After Haillet retired in 1971, it was rebranded from Adidas Robert Haillet <\/em>to Stan Smith-Haillet, after the American tennis player, Stan Smith, in 1973. In 1978, Stan Smith\u2019s name stayed and grew to become iconic.<\/p>\n

The Adidas Stan Smith is a sneaker with the cleanest and most timeless silhouette of all, and a clean canvas for all kinds of collaborations from the 1990s to 2010s. To celebrate 50 years making Stan Smith\u2019s win in US Open, in 2022, a special editing consisting of PRIMEGREEN uppers and recycled rubber shoes were sold as part of their END PLASTIC WASTE initiative.<\/p>\n

Adidas Superstar<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"\"
Image Credit: https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.adidas.com.sg<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Next in 1969, the Adidas Superstar was prototyped and sold in 1970. It was a basketball shoe with the iconic shell-toe that went from the hardwood to the streets globally.<\/p>\n

It entered the hip-hop culture in 1986 when Run-DMC featured it in their song \u2018My Adidas\u2019 which led to Adidas officially getting them onboard to endorse it. The Superstar is another Adidas collaboration favourite, from 2003 streetwear brand BAPE to Prada in 2019.<\/p>\n

Adidas SL 72<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"\"
Image Credit: https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/www.adidas.com.sg<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1972, the Adidas SL 72 was made for the Olympics. It was a \u2018super light\u2019 running shoe that revolutionalised track running, marking Adidas\u2019 commitment to empower athletes with faster speed and agility. The SL 72 also featured the new Trefoil logo unveiled the same year. It made its resurgence following the hype of the Samba in 2024.<\/p>\n

PUMA\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Founded in 1948, it is the older brother brand of Adidas quite literally when the two brothers split in 1947. Although not as well-known nor at the top of the global market share, with differing reports placing PUMA at third to sixth ranking,<\/p>\n

PUMA is strong in shoes for football and is one of the top suppliers of racing gear and merchandise in F1 racing. PUMA currently produces merchandise for F1 teams such as Mercedes-AMG Petronas, Scuderia Ferrari, Williams Racing, and F1 Academy.<\/p>\n

PUMA Clyde\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

PUMA Suede\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In 1968, PUMA released its most iconic lifestyle shoe, initially named \u2018Crack\u2019 as a lifestyle shoe, as the concept was novel then.<\/p>\n

In 1973, NBA basketball player Walt \u201cClyde\u201d Frazier wanted to wear a new colourway shoe for each game, so PUMA swapped the leather for suede as it was easier to dye, and the Clyde was born. Frazier\u2019s contract with PUMA only gave naming rights in the US and until the end of the 1970s, so PUMA named it Suede for the global market, and it became the \u2018it\u2019 shoe for B-Boy or hip-hop culture in the 1980s.<\/p>\n

Today, both Clyde and Suede are available, though essentially, they are the same shoe, with the only difference being the model words embossed onto the shoe\u2019s medial.<\/p>\n

PUMA Speedcat\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In 1998, PUMA began making fireproof shoes for Formula 1 drivers, and it became available to the public in 2001. From 2005, PUMA and Scuderia Ferrari partnered and produced racing shoes and apparel to this day.<\/p>\n

Fenty PUMA Creeper\"\"<\/strong><\/h3>\n

In 2014, Rihanna became a creative director and ambassador at PUMA and released the Fenty line the next year. The Creeper was a reworked Suede with a brothel creeper platform crepe sole and won the Shoe of the Year in 2016.<\/p>\n

In 2016, the new Creepers were unveiled with materials such as velvet, leather, and orange camo print. FENTY x PUMA continued to release The Ankle Strap Creeper, The Pointy Creeper, and the Creeper Phatty.<\/p>\n

Go for the classics<\/strong><\/h3>\n

To start collecting, go for the classics from Nike, Jordan, Adidas, and PUMA. Most classic shoes are now in the lifestyle segment, as there are other specialised shoes for running, basketball, etc.<\/p>\n

You can start fresh from Nike \u2013 Cortez, Air Force 1, Air Jordan, Dunk and Air Max 1; from Adidas \u2013 Samba, Stan Smith, Superstar and SL 72; and from PUMA \u2013 Clyde\/Suede, Speedcat and Fenty Creeper. Start on one of them, or if you are feeling loaded, buy multiple models.<\/p>\n

if you have more spare money, you can go for the exclusive collaborations Nike and Adidas have with luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Gucci or even rare auction sneakers. Otherwise, start with commoner trainers and go from there.<\/p>\n

How to collect? If you have a favourite colour, you can collect along this line, or you can buy all the designs that are released, or whatever that tickles your fancy. Except for the staple colours, most releases, or \u2018drops\u2019 in sneaker lingo, are \u2018once out, it won\u2019t be back\u2019.<\/p>\n

To wear or not? It\u2019s up to you. Some collectors, called sneakerheads, buy two of the same shoes \u2013 one for wearing, one to keep. Just be prepared to have a lot of space to store your newfound hobby \u2013 collecting sneakers!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Once the domain of sportspeople, the humble sports shoes have evolved into collectibles and invaded popular culture, with some even auctioned for over $1 million! Read on to learn more about these coveted sneakers and quick tips on how to start your collection. What\u2019s a pair of lifestyle sports shoes called nowadays? Over in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":15340,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[1523,156,10726,10727,10725,10724,10723],"class_list":{"0":"post-15339","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-living","8":"tag-aa-highway","9":"tag-aa-singapore","10":"tag-blue-ribbon-sports-brs","11":"tag-collecting-sneakers","12":"tag-during-nba-national-basketball-association-games","13":"tag-rubber-soled-shoes","14":"tag-sneakers"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15339","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15339"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15339\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15367,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15339\/revisions\/15367"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15340"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15339"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15339"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/glutenfreepleasure.com\/__proxy_domain\/aa-highway.com.sg\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15339"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}