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From starting out as a mere sports accessory to making its way into street fashion all around the world and finding a place for itself in pop culture in the process, the evolution of the trusty sneaker has been truly amazing with every major shoe company making it mandatory to produce at least a dozen new models every year. Our world has seen thousands of sneaker designs since the 1950’s and while many are long forgotten a select few have stood the test of time and carved a niche for themselves in history. Here’s a rundown of the top 10 sneaker shoes ever produced.
Adidas Stan Smith
Undoubtedly one of the most loved sneakers in the world the Adidas Stan Smith continues to sell like hotcakes even though it’s been 44 years since its introduction. Named after American tennis player Stan Smith, the shoes were first made available in 1971 and featured a unique design which was a departure from the usual three stripes that graced the side of every Adidas shoe at that time. It didn’t take long for America to fall in love with the Stan Smith’s and they soon transformed from a mere tennis shoe to an everyday fashion item. The shoe’s soon found themselves in the Guinness Book Of World Records in 1994 after they crossed 23 million sales and is currently the best selling sneaker ever with over 40 million pairs sold and counting. So if you come across a pair don’t hesitate to buy it as you’ll also be owning a pair of history.
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Adidas Samba
No list of the world’s best sneakers would be complete without giving a nod to the Adidas Sambas. These iconic shoes have won hears since the 1950’s and have been produced over 35 million times. The Samba was originally produced for footballers to train on hard surfaces without any discomfort, but their beautiful design combined with the plush kangaroo leather material caused the general public to be bowled over by them. It didn’t take long for the Samba’s to find a way into pop culture with Queen’s lead singer Freddie Mercury famously sporting white Sambas at every live concert. The Worlds love affair with the Samba clearly isn’t over and will continue for years to come.
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Nike Air Jordan I
The year was 1984 and Nike teamed up with a young, upcoming Chicago Bulls point guard who went by the name Michael Jordan with the purpose of creating a trademark shoe for him. The rest, as they say, is history. It took no time for an NBA crazy America to fall in love with Michael Jordan and his famous shoes and they soon made their debut on the streets immediately after they were introduced to the public in 1985. The Air Jordan 1’s soon made their way into rap music and teenage households and continue to sell by the truckloads even today. A new version of the Air Jordan is released by Nike every year but they haven’t succeeded in replicating the charm of the original worn by His Airness, which will continue to be a great fashion accessory for a long time.
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Nike Air Max
Another Nike shoe that has stood the test of time has got to be the iconic Air Max. This legendary shoe was first released in 1987 and its popularity hasn’t died down ever since. The shoes unique design combined with its cushioning technology and the Air unit which is largely visible under the heel is what made the Air Max a best seller. Like the Air Jordan, the Air Max soon found its way into rap videos and into the homes of celebrities and their popularity hit its peak when Jerry Seinfeld and Jason Alexander the two leads of the hit television series Seinfeld wore them in almost every episode. There have been many versions of the Air Max released over the years but, like the Air Jordans, the original ones will always rule the roost.
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Adidas Superstar
Yet another shoe that was designed by originally designed for Basketball players but found its way to the common man is the Adidas Superstar. This classic shoe, which has a distinctive shell design on the toe area, was first released exclusively for basketballers back in 1969 with the most famous endorsee being Milwaukee Bucks and LA Lakers legend Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The rest of the basketball community soon feel in love with the Superstars and by 1974 75% of the NBA players’ choice of shoes was the Superstar. Rap group Run DMC increased the popularity of the Superstar and are widely credited for bringing the shoe to the streets. Even today the Superstar continues to be a favourite among youngsters and will go down as one of the most popular sneakers of all time.
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Reebok Freestyle
No other women’s sneaker has been received with such groundbreaking success than the Reebok Freestyle. This iconic shoe was first marketed to the public in 1982 and its popularity grew so much that by 1984 the Freestyle accounted for 50% of Reebok’s sales. One of the biggest reasons why the Freestyle was received with such fanfare among women was due to their versatility which allowed them to be worn with tracksuits, shorts and even jeans. The shoes got their fair share of screen time in music videos with stars like Alicia Keys, Iggy Azalea and even The Rolling Stones’ eccentric frontman Mick Jagger sporting a pair of Freestyles at some point in their careers.
Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars
A shoe that will probably never go out of fashion has got to be the Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars or ‘Chucks’ as they are popularly known as. First produced in 1917 the Chucks soon bowled over the basketball world and were improved upon by Chuck Taylor a basketball player of that era after whom the shoe is named. The Chucks’ popularity went viral in the 1960’s and soon found its way to every teenagers household. Their popularity slumped in the 1970’s after designs by rivals Nike and Adidas but soon came back into the spotlight again in the 1980’s courtesy of Michael Jackson’s music video ‘Beat It’ in which almost all the backup dancers wore a pair of Chucks. Queen frontman Freddie Mercury also helped increase sales of the shoe after he wore a pair on the cover of the band’s ‘The Works’ album. With the Chuck Taylor, Converse helped bring about a fad that will probably never die down.
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Converse Jack Purcell
Another Converse shoe that has made a permanent impact on fashion has got to be the Jack Purcell’s. Originally designed as a badminton shoe by World Champion Jack Purcell, the shoes soon gained popularity after Converse bought out the company that originally manufactured them and was the shoe of choice of many teenagers in the 1970’s. A big reason for the Jack Purcell’s popularity is their distinctive smile design on the toe area which really adds a touch of uniqueness to the shoe which is used by a large number of youngsters even today.
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Puma Suede
Puma has constantly been in the shadow of its sister company Adidas, but the popularity of its iconic Suede shoe will never fade away. Originally released in 1968, the Suede gained widespread popularity after Olympic winning track athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos wore them on the podium as they protested against African American poverty. The Suedes soon became a symbol of empowerment and resistance and quickly found their way into American households. The shoes gained further popularity after they were endorsed by New York Kinks legend Clyde Fraizer and famous New York B-Boy crew NYC Breakers which helped make the Suedes the cult favourites they are today.
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Reebok Pump
Another Reebok shoe that made history during its release was the Pump. First released in 1989, the Pumps were an instant hit selling over 20 million pairs worldwide by 1992 and was soon made the signature shoe of NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal albeit under the name Shaq Attaq. The Pump’s popularity surged after its numerous appearances in films and commercials, most notably the Pepsi one, and soon found its way into street fashion. The Pumps celebrated its 25th Anniversary last year with a range of numerous designs which were well received by the public, proving that it still has a place in their hearts despite being released nearly two decades ago.
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