Sneakerheads, Sneaker Culture & Sneaker Collecting

100 years ago the brothers Adolf ("Adi") and Rudolf Dassler made their first pair of sports shoes. Hundreds of groundbreaking designs, epic moments, and star-studded collabs later, this book presents the first visual review of the adidas shoe through more than 350 models including never-before-seen prototypes and one-of-a-kind originals. To further develop and tailor his products to athletes' specific needs, Dassler asked them to return their worn footwear when no longer needed, with all the shoes eventually ending up in his attic (to this day, many athletes return their shoes to adidas, often as a thank you after winning a title or breaking a world record). This collection now makes up the "adidas archive", one of the largest, if not the largest archive of any sports goods manufacturer in the world--which photographers Christian Habermeier and Sebastian Jäger have been visually documenting in extreme detail for years. Shot using the highest reproduction techniques, these images reveal the fine details as much as the stains, the tears, the repair tape, the grass smudges, the faded autographs. It's all here, unmanipulated and captured in extremely high resolution--and with it comes to light the personal stories of each individual wearer. We encounter the shoes worn by West Germany's football team during its "miraculous" 1954 World Cup win and those worn by Kathrine Switzer when she ran the Boston Marathon in 1967, before women were officially allowed to compete; custom models for stars from Madonna to Lionel Messi; collabs with the likes of Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Raf Simons, Stella McCartney, Parley for the Oceans or Yohji Yamamoto; as well as the brand's trailblazing techniques and materials, like its pioneering use of plastic waste that is intercepted from beaches and coastal communities. Accompanied by a foreword by designer Jacques Chassaing and expert texts, each picture tells us the why and the how, but also conveys the driving force behind adidas. What we discover goes beyond mere design; in the end, these are just shoes, worn out by their users who have loved them--but they are also first-hand witnesses of our sports, design, and culture history, from the beginnings of the Dassler brothers and the founding of adidas until today.

In 1985, Nike released Michael Jordan's first sneaker, the Air Jordan 1, and sneaker culture was born. Now thousands of people wait in line at Supreme, and companies throw millions of dollars at Kendrick Lamar to keep him in their marketing plans. The trend that saw steady growth for decades with the emergence of sports, hiphop, and sportswear advertising has exploded into a phenomenon. And no one has watched that phenomenon more closely than Complex Media. With a subtle nod to Shea Serrano's The Rap Year Book, The Greatest Sneakers of All Time explores the past 35 years of sneaker culture with the expertise, authority, and passion that only Complex can offer. With vibrant photographs and illustrations throughout and input from some of the sneaker world's most important voices, this compilation is a musthave for hypebeasts and sneakerheads everywhere.

Creative Sole, Japanese Sneaker Culture is a book that looks at Japan's prolific presence in sneaker culture globally. Creative, covetable and cool, Japanese sneakers are some of the most highly sought after in the world today, with an incredible amount of designers, collaborators, artists and makers, all infusing their creative energy into this multi-billion dollar industry. This book includes hundreds of sneakers from the hottest Japanese designers, and collaborations ranging from the crazy to the chic, to vintage, rare and Japan exclusive items. From Asics / Onitsuka Tiger's Olympic archival items, to the entire portfolio of mita sneakers collabs, to historic Japan-made sneakers sourced from the vaults of Tokyo's super collectors, this comprehensive book will thrill all lovers of design and fashion. Included are over 350 sneaker photos, including collaboration kicks with a wide range of creators, from designers such as Comme des Garçons, street wear label BAPE, Nintendo game characters, artist Takashi Murakami, Hello Kitty to skaters like Christian Hosoi. Interviews with famous designers, artists, creative directors, athletes and ad agency W+K provide exclusive contextual information into the world of kicks.

Street fashion and urban culture have come a long way from humble beginnings in the '90s. From disparate local scenes in Japan, Europe, and the US, the youth-driven movements of hip-hop, punk, and skateboarding have finally infiltrated high fashion. Brands are now eager to collaborate with the icons of music and art who are leading this creative crossover. Customers will stand in line for hours to be the first to own exclusive pieces designed by the likes of Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, and Tom Sachs. Based in New York, Berlin, and Tokyo, lifestyle publication Highsnobiety is at the forefront of this global phenomenon. The Incomplete immortalizes the stories of brands ranging from Supreme to COMME des GARÇONS. Alongside the most influential designers and tastemakers, Higsnobiety highlights the pieces and brands in men's fashion which have stood the test of time.

This compelling book provides a comprehensive examination of Nike, utilizing never-before-heard interviews with top sports celebrities and the informed perspectives of marketing gurus to explain why Nike has ruled the sports world for more than four decades. Nike's immortal "Just Do It" slogan is displayed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. The company's pioneering use of athlete endorsements as the foundation of its marketing and its dedication to incorporating advanced technology and materials in its products has forever changed the world of sports. Amazingly, what is now Nike sprang from the humblest beginnings--two runners with a passion for improving the sport willing to sell shoes out of their cars at track meets. This book provides a comprehensive analysis of the company, giving readers a full appreciation of its fascinating history and the attributes and strategies that have helped Nike outlast its competitors. Material derived from interviews with star athletes and marketing experts lend additional insight into the Nike phenomenon. Contains one-on-one interviews with star athletes, coaches, marketing experts, and business executives that showcase the power and influence of Nike Provides a vivid chronology depicting the company's modest beginnings, the creation of its early technology, the birth of memorable advertising campaigns, endorsement deals with sports celebrities, controversy about child labor allegations, noteworthy recognition for supporting social and environmental causes, and Nike's future Includes photographs of Nike co-founders Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight, as well as Nike-sponsored athletes such as Deion Sanders, Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan, John McEnroe, Serena Williams, Didier Drogba, Lance Armstrong, and Tiger Woods A helpful index makes it easy to locate celebrities' comments within the text and to track the many Nike technologies used since the company's inception

At Nike, the desire to be the best is a journey, not a destination - better is always temporary. Phaidon commemorates the company's influence with Nike: Better is Temporary, a landmark publication that charts Nike's transformation from rebellious upstart to global phenomenon. This immersive visual survey offers an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes exploration into Nike's ethos-driven design formula, placing industry-defining innovations and globally recognized products alongside previously unpublished designs, prototypes, insider stories, and more. Beginning with "Breaking2," an introduction detailing Nike's 2017 attempt to facilitate a sub-two-hour marathon, the book lays out in five thematic chapters Nike's focus on performance, brand expression, collaboration, inclusive design, and sustainability. The book's extraordinary design also nods to its contents. The striking cover features overlapping silkscreened layers of Nike's proprietary Volt yellow and Hyperpunch pink colors overlaying an image of world-champion marathoner Eliud Kipchoge printed in a half-tone dot pattern. The book's spine, visible through the clear jacket, showcases a series of colored tabs that extend from its interior pages and which are referenced in the book's bonus chapter, "Crafting Color." Combining 500 color illustrations with stories, insights, knowledge, passion, and history shared by Nike's remarkable team, Nike: Better is Temporary will serve as a manual of innovation and inspiration for generations to come.

Created in 2002, the Nike Dunk was adopted from the court by skateboarders and sneakerheads to become an icon of the streets. An early catalyst to evolving sneaker culture as we know it today, the Nike Dunk has enjoyed a storied legacy of reinvention through numerous iterations and creative collaborations proving to be an integral part of a culture obsessed with sneakers. To celebrate this legacy, Nike SB: The Dunk Book is the first book to present the historical archive of one of the most important shoes ever created. Worn by an ever-growing list of elite riders at competitions all over the world, Nike Dunks are prized as much for their funky, one-of-a-kind designs as well as their high performance. Nike SB: The Dunk Book is filled with stunning images that tell the visual story of Nike SB's most iconic styles. Including Danny Supas, Staple Pigeon Dunks, De La Soul Highs, Paris Dunks, U.N.K.L.Es, and Supreme Dunk SBs, this volume flaunts the signature colour-ways and craftsmanship that Nike SBs are known for. Through enlightening anecdotes by the likes of Futura and Paul Rodriguez, readers get intimate accounts of how their favourite sneakers came to be. Also featured are archival images of Nike SB's most recognisable skaters rocking the iconic sneakers, including Eric Koston, Richard Mulder, Grant Taylor, Omar Salazar, Reese Forbes, Brian Anderson, Theotis Beasley, and Daniel Shimizu.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and board chairman Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company's early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world's most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands. Young, searching, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and launched a company with one simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost running shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the trunk of his Plymouth Valiant, Knight grossed eight thousand dollars that first year, 1963. Today, Nike's annual sales top $30 billion. In this age of start-ups, Knight's Nike is the gold standard, and its swoosh is more than a logo. A symbol of grace and greatness, it's one of the few icons instantly recognized in every corner of the world. But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always been a mystery. Now, in a memoir that's surprising, humble, unfiltered, funny, and beautifully crafted, he tells his story at last. It all begins with a classic crossroads moment. Twenty-four years old, backpacking through Asia and Europe and Africa, wrestling with life's Great Questions, Knight decides the unconventional path is the only one for him. Rather than work for a big corporation, he will create something all his own, something new, dynamic, different. Knight details the many terrifying risks he encountered along the way, the crushing setbacks, the ruthless competitors, the countless doubters and haters and hostile bankers--as well as his many thrilling triumphs and narrow escapes. Above all, he recalls the foundational relationships that formed the heart and soul of Nike, with his former track coach, the irascible and charismatic Bill Bowerman, and with his first employees, a ragtag group of misfits and savants who quickly became a band of swoosh-crazed brothers. Together, harnessing the electrifying power of a bold vision and a shared belief in the redemptive, transformative power of sports, they created a brand, and a culture, that changed everything.

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Sneakers have gone--seemingly overnight--from being childhood summer staples to serious athletic instruments to full-fledged lifestyle accoutrements, but the transition is hazy. Just when and why did America (and the world) go sneaker crazy? The Sneaker Book is an entertaining, informative look at this fascinating, $11-billion-a-year industry. How (and by whom) are sneakers made? Where does your money go when you buy a pair? Who are the companies behind the logos? Why is Nike heralded by economists and lampooned by Doonesbury? Jammed full of facts, figures, cartoons by Garry Trudeau and Mark Alan Stamaty, and literary excerpts about sneakers from Tom Wolfe, Paul Beatty, Leslie Savan, Spike Lee, Ray Bradbury, and many more, The Sneaker Book swooshes past the hype, puts the numbers on the table, and takes a fresh look at familiar--if unexamined--footwear.

Back in 2002, Simon "Woody" Wood was dreaming up schemes to get free sneakers. Two weeks later, he was the proud owner of Sneaker Freaker and his life was never the same. From its early roots as a punk-style fanzine to today's super-slick print and online operations, the fiercely independent publication has documented every collab, custom, limited edition, retro reissue, Quickstrike, Hyperstrike, and Tier Zero sneaker released over the last 15 years. Woody's original premise that Sneaker Freaker would be "funny and serious, meaningful and pointless at the same time" has certainly been vindicated in The Ultimate Sneaker Book. With more than 650 pages jam-packed with insider knowledge and his own irreverent observations, the insane historical detail and otaku-level minutiae is beyond obsessive. Traversing 100 years of history, each chapter paints a rollicking picture of the sneaker industry's evolution. Air Max, Air Force, Adi Dassler, Converse, Kanye, Dapper Dan, Dee Brown, Michael Jordan, and Yeezy-along with obscure treasures like Troop, Airwalk, and Vision Street Wear-are all exhaustively documented. This is a definitive source of knowledge. This is... The Ultimate Sneaker Book!

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Sneakers covers nearly everything there is to know about the vast universe of everyone's favorite comfy athletic shoes."--Parade "A beautifully assembled collage of image, experience, and inspiration."--Vogue "One of this year's coolest books."--Men's Journal "The definitive story of the sneaker universe."--WSJ Magazine Featuring exclusive interviews with Virgil Abloh (Off-White), Daniel Bailey, Ronnie Fieg (Kith), DJ Clark Kent, Serena Williams, Alexander Wang, Kobe Bryant and many, many others.  Through honesty, intimacy, intelligence, and swagger, Sneakers amounts to a singular rubber-soled taxonomy, a global group portrait of a culture that's both personal and public, driven by commitment and curiosity, and sustained by our definitive cast of storytellers, historians, and artists.  An absolute necessity for design devotees and sneakerheads of all ages! Sneakers is a definitive exploration of the cultural phenomenon of sneakers, now an 85-billion-dollar-a-year industry. This gift-worthy book features 320 pages of photos and interviews with industry gurus, sports legends, and celebrities in a stunning package created by celebrated designer Rodrigo Corral.   The book's carefully-curated list of participants takes readers to the center of the action. Edson Sabajo, owner of Amsterdam's seminal sneaker boutique, Patta, leads a sneaker hunt that starts in the back-alleys of Philadelphia and ends in the Middle East. Jeff Staple, designer of a pair of sneakers that resells for $6000, recalls the sneaker riot his design kicked off on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in 2005. Jim Riswold dishes on making commercials with Michael Jordan. Ronnie Fieg explains the collaborative magic of KITH. Adidas's Rachel Muscat and Jon Wexler get philosophical about their star collaborator, Kanye West. Nike's legendary Tinker Hatfield takes a glimpse into the future.  Professional tennis player Serena Williams shares an exclusive reveal. And much, much more. From its arresting cover design and thought-provoking interiors to the unprecedented depth of its first-person accounts, Sneakers is an absolute must-have for sneaker lovers and anyone who is interested in design, creative process, street culture, branding, entrepreneurship, art and fashion.

The ubiquitous sneaker is the canvas upon which so many defiers of convention - artists, musicians, athletes, and celebrities - have sought to make their mark and through the sneaker contribute to a unique identity and attitude among sneakerheads everywhere. Collected here are the best sneaker collaborations with the biggest makers - Adidas, Converse, Nike, Puma, Reebok - featuring nearly one hundred famous, infamous, and lesser-known partnerships. Museum-quality studio photographs of each sneaker are accompanied by visuals collected from the archives of sneaker makers, as well as ephemera such as design sketches and drawings illustrating the creative process. Author Elizabeth Semmelhack has conducted interviews with many collaborators, including an extensive Q&A with Chris Hill, design manager of Reebok, who has worked with Pyer Moss, Cam'ron, and many others. In her introduction, Semmelhack explores the history of collaborations, starting at the beginning with Jack Purcell, whose sneakers remain virtually unchanged today. More than eighty sneaker collaborations are featured, including Virgil Abloh (ten styles!), KAWS, Pharrell Williams, Bobbito Garcia, Damien Hirst, Jeremy Scott, Eminem, Supreme, Chanel, Missoni, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, Dr. Woo, and Fear of God.

TANNING IS THE CATALYTIC FORCE MAJEURE THAT WENT BEYOND MUSICAL BOUNDARIES AND INTO THE PSYCHE OF YOUNG AMERICA-BLURRUNG CULTURAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC LINES SO PERMANENTLY THAT IT LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR A TRANSFORMATION. Today's consumer is a mind-set, not a race-and when businesses get it right and have a proper understanding of tanning, success is imminent. The 'tanning' phenomenon raised the first generation of consumers who have the same 'mental complexion' based on shared experiences and values. In the Tanning of America, brand marketing expert Steve Stoute shows how a company can connect with this growing market that is influencing consumer taste across the entire socioeconomic spectrum. Stoute draws from his diverse background in the music industry and in brand marketing to chronicle the rise of this market and deconstruct how an upstart art form-street poetry set to beats-came to define urban culture as the embodiment of cool. Tracing the story of hip-hop from its roots, The Tanning of Americabeautifully captures the spirit of every musical and cultural breakthrough over the past thirty years and details the direct link between the birth of hip-hop in the Bronx to President Barack Obama's campaign and election. He also interviews Eminem about the evolution of tanning. It's rich history of the hip-hop movement and its subsequent influence on the world as we know it. Stoute has made a career out of identifying with and activating this new generation of consumers to create extremely successful marketing campaigns. Recalling lessons learned in the field, whether working on McDonald's 'I'm lovin' it' campaign or with Jay-Z to make the fastest selling sneaker in Reebok's history, his impact on how companies communicate with this market sector is legendary. In order to end up on the right side of 'cool,' its important to understand the cultural forces at work, the mind-set of the millennial consumer, and their code. Stoute's knowledge and observations will allow readers to find success in a new generation's bold reinterpretation of the American Dream.

In 2016, sportswear manufacturer Nike and fashion designer Virgil Abloh joined forces to create a sneaker collection celebrating 10 of the Oregon-based company's most iconic shoes. With their project The Ten-which reimagined icons like Air Jordan 1, Air Max 90, Air Force 1, and Air Presto, among others-they reinvigorated sneaker culture. Virgil Abloh's designs offer deep insights into engineering ingenuity and burst with cultural cachet. Drawing on the genius of the original shoe using lettering, ironic labels, collage, and sculpting techniques, Abloh played with language and sculptural elements to construct new meaning. Inspired by the wit of Dadaism, architectural theory, and avant-garde happenings, he analyzed what makes each shoe iconic and deconstructed it into an artistic assemblage, making each shoe into a piece of industrial design, a readymade sculpture, and a wearable all at once. ICONS traces Abloh's investigative, creative process through documentation of the prototypes, original text messages from Abloh to Nike designers, and treasures from the Nike archives. We find Swooshes sliced away from Air Jordans and reapplied with tape or thread, Abloh's typical text fragments in quotation marks on Air Force 1, and All Stars cut into pieces. We take a look behind the scenes and witness Abloh's DIY approach, which gave each model in the Off-WhiteTM c/o Nike collection its own unique touch. His deconstructive vocabulary is reflected in the Swiss binding, which showcases an open spine and discloses the production of the book. The book documents Abloh's cooperative way of working and reaffirms the power of print. For its design Nike and Abloh partnered with the acclaimed London-based design studio Zak Group. Together they conceived a two-part compendium, equal parts catalog and conceptual toolbox. The first part of the book presents a visual culture of sneakers while a lexicon in the second part defines the key people, places, objects, ideas, materials, and scenes from which the project grew. Texts by Nike's Nicholas Schonberger, writer Troy Patterson, curator and historian Glenn Adamson, and Virgil Abloh himself frame the collaborative work within fashion and design history. A foreword by Hiroshi Fujiwara places the project within the historical continuum of Nike collaborators.

The essential volume on the great fashion designer, entrepreneur and Louis Vuitton artistic director, back in print This authoritative Virgil Abloh compendium, created by the designer himself, accompanies his acclaimed landmark 2019-23 touring exhibition and offers in-depth analysis of his career and his inspirations. More than a catalog, Figures of Speech is a 500-page user's manual to Abloh's genre-bending work in art, fashion and design. The first section features essays and an interview that examine Abloh's oeuvre through the lenses of contemporary art history, architecture, streetwear, high fashion and race, to provide insight into a prolific and impactful career that cuts across mediums, connecting visual artists, musicians, graphic designers, fashion designers, major brands and architects. The book also contains a massive archive of images culled from Abloh's personal files on major projects, revealing behind-the-scenes snapshots, prototypes, inspirations and more--accompanied by intimate commentary from the artist. Finally, a gorgeous full-color plate section offers a detailed view of Abloh's work across disciplines. Virgil Abloh (1980-2021) was a fashion designer and entrepreneur, and the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's men's wear collection from 2018 to 2021. He was also CEO of the Milan-based label Off-White, a fashion house he founded in 2013. Born in Rockford, Illinois, to Ghanaian parents, he entered the world of fashion with an internship at Fendi in 2009 alongside rapper Kanye West. The two began an artistic collaboration that would launch Abloh's career with the founding of Off-White. Time magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2018.

The mother of all sneaker books is finally back in print, in an expanded edition. Upon its initial publication in 2003, Where'd You Get Those? was hailed by Vanity Fair as "The perfect primer on the sole of pop culture ... a much needed compendium." The New Yorker raved that "Garcia's book is an anthropological trove," while the New York Post noted that "Where'd You Get Those? is a must." Vogue gushed: "Garcia chronicles the gym shoe's rise to cultural prominence with obsessive detail ... Where'd You Get Those? is a welcome addition to New York cultural history." Paper magazine called it "The definitive book on the rise of sneaker fanaticism," and Time Out New York hailed it as "a rhapsodic, comprehensive chronicle." Documenting more than 400 pairs of sneakers in a highly illustrated, chronological format, Where'd You Get Those? is simply a stone cold classic. Sneakers are fetishized by consumers worldwide, and dozens of subsequent sneakers books have come and gone, but none have come close to attracting the readership and unfettered adulation that this book has enjoyed. (Carnegie Mellon University even offers a class, Sneakerology 101, that uses Where'd You Get Those? as its main textbook.) Updates to the new edition include new sneakers inaugurated into the canon, as well as a new foreword, introduction and afterword. (2013)