Sneakers

"Sneakers overdelivers."—GQ "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.

Every Sneaker Story Worth Telling! A 15-year anthology of cult magazine Sneaker Freaker When self-acclaimed Sneakerhead Simon "Woody" Wood decided to pursue his love of sneakers--and freebie footwear--with a publication, the mighty Sneaker Freaker was born. From its punk fanzine style first edition in 2002 to today's slick print and online operation, the independent magazine has remained at the fore of the global sneaker scene, documenting every collab, limited edition, retro reissue, Quickstrike, custom shoe and more, with raw, fastidious passion. This massive anthology celebrates 15 years of Sneaker Freaker, featuring the magazine's finest pages together with over 130 pages of expert sneaker content never seen before. As "funny and serious, meaningful and pointless at the same time" as the magazine's own ethos, the book packs in more than 650 pages of dense insider knowledge, hundreds of beautiful photos, as well as Woody's own obsessional observations. The book rollicks through some 100 years of sneaker history, documenting Air Max, Air Force, All Stars, Dapper Dan, Michael Jordan, Reebok Pump, and Nike Skateboarding, alongside more obscure treasures like Troop, SPX, and Vision Street Wear. All the major sneaker moments are all there, from Kanye to adidas Futurecraft, Nike Air Force 1 to New Balance, as well as landmark collabs, leading advertising campaigns, and crux talking points, not least Nike vs adidas. All Sneaker Freaker pages have been meticulously redesigned for this book edition, with fresh updates bringing every story up to speed, while preserving the charm of the original prose. Through all the limited editions, customs, retro reissues, and samples, this is the definitive source of sneaker knowledge you'll love as hard as your Beaters. "The most definitive sneaker culture magazine on the planet!" -- MTV

This is the first academic study of sneakers and the subculture that surrounds them. Since the 1980s, American sneaker enthusiasts, popularly known as “sneakerheads” or “sneakerholics”, have created a distinctive identity for themselves, while sneaker manufacturers such as Reebok, Puma and Nike have become global fashion brands. How have sneakers come to gain this status and what makes them fashionable? In what ways are sneaker subcultures bound up with gender identity and why are sneakerholics mostly young men? Based on the author's own ethnographic fieldwork in New York, where sneaker subculture is said to have originated, this unique study traces the transformation of sneakers from sportswear to fashion symbol. Sneakers explores the obsessions and idiosyncrasies surrounding the sneaker phenomenon, from competitive subcultures to sneaker painting and artwork. It is a valuable contribution to the growing study of footwear in fashion studies and will appeal to students of fashion theory, gender studies, sociology, and popular culture.

The main focus of the How are they Made? Series is turning raw materials into products through mass or smallscale production.

Now in its fifth edition, this comprehensive and highly illustrated edition of Sneakers spans over 300 shoes, while also giving advice on shoe care and maintenance.

An accessible and comprehensive encyclopedia of 1,000 deadstock sneakers––the originals produced for exclusive, limited-edition releases––by trendsetting sneakerhead and infamous reseller Larry Deadstock. “Deadstock” refers to the originals: authentic, unworn sneakers that were produced for limited-edition releases, limited-run reruns, or pairs that have otherwise stopped being made. No longer available from the direct retailers, deadstock is the most desirable, exclusive, and valuable sneaker merchandise in existence, only available from select resell shops and websites such as Larry Deadstock’s. In 1,000 Deadstock Sneakers, deadstock collector and infamous reseller Larry Deadstock teams up with streetwear journalist François Chevalier to dive deep into the origins, history, and trends of international sneaker culture. This book features: The origin story behind the first pair of Air Jordans Basketball legends LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Michael Jordan Groundbreaking designers such as Virgil Abloh Influential figures like Will Smith, Spike Lee, and Travis Scott Informative anecdotes from Larry Deadstock Original advertisements from Nike, Adidas, Air Jordan, New Balance, Rebook, Vans, and more Complete with detailed research, historical context, and trend analysis on the aesthetic appeal of each style, this book explores the significance of the sneaker in fashion and culture today through 1,000 coveted deadstock sneakers of the last 50 years. This is a must-have reference text for sneakerheads and deadstock collectors; eye candy for sports fans, influencers, and all sneaker wearers; and an exploration of a rising phenomenon in fashion and streetwear for anyone interested in contemporary culture. Includes Color Images

Find out how sneakers took over the world in this fact-filled nonfiction book, part of a series about the stories behind cool objects! From going to school to shopping at the mall, sneakers are one of the most comfortable ways to get around. But how did these rubbery soles become everyone’s favorite shoe to stomp in? Readers will love learning about the story behind sneakers, from the world’s oldest shoe to the latest designer sneaker drop . . . and everything in between!

A book about Sneakerheads, written by a Sneakerhead, for the advancement of Sneakerheads and the enlightenment of those who are not Sneakerheads. Most people have never heard the term "Sneakerhead". They do not have an idea of what a Sneakerhead is, what Sneakerheads are about or what it is that a Sneakerhead does. This book is a guide on how to talk the talk, walk the walk and broaden not only your knowledge of Sneakerheads, but your personal sneaker collection as well. For the average person you will find a new awareness and understanding about the sneaker community and those within it. Whether new, old or continuing your passion for sneakers. Break open the book and break into the world of Sneakerheads.