What Makes A Timeless Sneaker?

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Complex Original

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By Russ Bengtson (@russbengtson)

What makes a timeless sneaker? Consider the models that prevail for decades — the Nike Air Force 1, the adidas Superstar, the Reebok Workout, the Converse All Star Chuck Taylor. These shoes have survived, even thrived, as contemporaries faded away. What do they have in common? Above all, they performed. So perhaps when we consider sneakers and their relative greatness, we’re asking the wrong question. Instead of “how does it look?” we should be asking “how well does it work?”

Long before sneakers became a symbol of fashion or status, they were purely functional pieces of athletic footwear. The iconic rubber toe caps on the Converse All-Star and adidas Superstar were there for protection. Leather cupsole basketball shoes pushed out vulcanized canvas ones because they worked better. The circular outsole pattern on the Nike Air Force 1 was for pivoting, while the high cut and nylon strap gave extra support. The complementary foam wedge in the heel of the Nike Cortez provided not only contrast, but extra cushioning in the heel, a concept that would drive Nike’s innovation for decades to come.

But as sneakers became more prevalent off the playing field, that sense of what things were for seemed to lose importance. Some of this can be traced back to 1987, when Nike’s Air burst free from the midsole, becoming a key visual design element as much as it was a performance one. Up until that point, the most successful sneakers tended to be the ones that did their job best. In the ‘80s, though, there was a premium placed on fashion, and an explosion of brands — Troop, L.A. Gear, British Knights — emerged to capitalize on it. That said, many did not last long. And even their comebacks have been fleeting. Meanwhile, a brand like New Balance, has thrived.

Twenty-five years since Nike Air first emerged into the light, the sneaker market is as saturated as it’s ever been. Walk into the nearest Foot Locker and Foot Action, and you’ll be faced by walls stacked from floor to ceiling with models from every era — from the Chuck Taylor to the LeBron 9. Modern shoes alone can be overwhelming, with seemingly every company striving to fill every need. And all you want is the one that works best, one that will fulfill your needs and perhaps, in the process, be one of the classics of the future. What to do?

We’re here to help.