Basketball, from yesterday to today
From the fields to the street, basketball is everywhere. First intended for sports, sneakers can now be worn in all circumstances. It's difficult to imagine a world without the comfort and freedom it offers us. A look back at the crazy basketball epic with Le Lissier … 👟
THE RUBBER REVOLUTION
The history of sneakers begins at the end of the 19th century when the use of rubber was booming. Initially exclusively reserved for the automobile industry, this very particular material is beginning to interest the shoe sector. For what ? Due to the invention in 1869 of the "vulcanization" technique by Charles Goodyear. By providing more elasticity and flexibility to rubber, its modern use becomes possible. Thus was born the famous rubber sole.
As a result, the Candde Manufacturing Co of New Haven manufactured the first sports shoes made of canvas and a white rubber sole. Other manufacturers quickly followed suit, starting with the United States Ruber Company . The latter created the Keds brand in 1916 and designed the very first pair of shoes with a flexible sole. Result: immediate success thanks to the comfort and discretion of this new ergonomic sole.
The anecdote: where does the name “sneaker” come from?
It comes from the English “to sneak on” which means “to approach by surprise” and therefore evokes the silence and discretion provided by these new generation/revolutionary shoes.
BIRTH OF ICONS
In 1917, the Converse brand developed a timeless model that we all know: the famous Chuck Taylor All Star. Created in honor of the famous basketball player Chuck Taylor, it was originally intended for physical training: high, it offers athletes good ankle support. Having become a true icon, it will become the best-selling sneaker of all time.
In the 1950s, sneakers began to become more popular. The Dassler brothers create the Adidas and Puma brands. Competition between the brands (and the brothers) sets in and it's the start of a frantic race to see who will launch the best pair. The Stan Smith, the Superstar, the Gazelle, the Puma Suede, the Cortez ... All these iconic models were created during this period. Young people are grabbing them and wearing them to accompany their brand new jeans .
THE HISTORY MARKET
This new shoe also finds itself at the center of a major event in History. In the 1960s, racial segregation was rampant in the United States. The sneaker will then become a protest symbol in the face of this racist policy. Remember, at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games, athletes raised their black-gloved left fist and removed their pair of Puma Suede on the podium to show their membership in the Black Panther movement.
IDENTITY SYMBOL
The famous Nike brand also distinguished itself by establishing itself in the 1980s on the basketball courts with its revolutionary Jordans. The NBA would eventually ban them from its games, as the color did not match that of the players' jerseys. But there again, the sneaker triumphs, and too bad if Michael Jordan has to be fined $5,000 every time he wears his eponymous model on the field. It was during this same decade that the sneaker exploded . She benefits from the growing influence of hip hop, rap and street culture. Break dance enthusiasts made it their own and rappers quickly made sneakers a sign of belonging to their community. The sneaker then becomes the emblem of a generation of young, cool, free and trendy people.
In just a few decades, sneakers have become a means of asserting one's difference, rejecting established codes and asserting one's own identity.
MUST HAVE
Today, sneakers are no longer just the prerogative of sports brands. Far from there ! If it is still worn by athletes with cutting-edge technologies reinforcing support and protecting the body, it has above all become an essential fashion accessory. The famous white rubber sole can now be worn as a lifestyle shoe, which we like to style as we see fit.
Sneakers overcome all social barriers. It is accessible to everyone, men or women, rich or poor, young or old, and continues to gain new followers. It is available endlessly, depending on brands, styles, desires…
The important thing is always to feel good in your shoes.
