so people ask me, “we know that you got hmc crazy shit like philosophy and economics for your anniversary, but what did she get you?”
ok, no one really asked. maybe no one cares about me. but she does, and so she got me this kick ass book: Where’d You Get Those? New York City’s Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987
The lavishly illustrated and remarkably comprehensive, Where’d You Get Those?, is an insider’s account that traces New York City sneaker culture back to its earliest days. Describing how a small and dedicated group of sneaker consumers in the 70s and early 80s proved instrumental in establishing current corporate giants like Nike and Adidas, aficionado Bobbito Garcia writes with the exactitude and affection that only a true believer could bring. While chronicling the rise of sneakers through the lean years of the 60s, the bulk of the book examines sneakers released between the golden years of 1970-1987. Information-packed entries for each model include all of the color combinations available, nicknames of particular models, any relevant athlete endorsement, and (often hilarious) running commentary and stories from a rogues’ gallery of fanatics who weigh in on the pros and cons of each sneaker.there’s also sections on customizing kicks, whether it was wrapping a sock around your foot to give it that fat “dope-fiend jelly roll” look, or special laces, to even painting them to recreate an impossible-to-get shoe:
Johnny Snakeback Fever: Clown shoes.
Shit! I remember back when I first became a runner around 1979, we were way into our Adidas. I even remember making a giant Adidas wall hanging for a school dance (don’t ask me, I was 11). I would go to the running store all the time and muse over which sneakers I was going buy. Looking back now I realize how badly those sneakers sucked. No support, pathetic treads..since they have “come back” I am baffled why anyone wears them.
Then there was Nike. I bought a pair once…never again. But you gotta hand it to their marketing department, that they could create an empire on such crap is quite a feat.
Give me New Balance, Asics Gels, or Saucony.
I bet you didn’t know I was so passionate about my sneakers, huh.
personally, i remember not being able to wear adidases as a kid (which i did), because it stood for “all day i dream about sex.”
more deets:
The Dassler Brother Sport Shoe Factory kicked off in 1924 in Germany when Rudolf Dassler joined his brother Adi, who had started making sport shoes in his moms’ washroom in the early ’20s. In ‘48 they had beef with each other and parted ways. Adi then founded Adidas.
Timo Pape, Adidas Germany: Adidas was founded on the premise of specifically designing shoes for atheletes to improve their performance. Adi’s belief was that if the athletes will wear it, then the consumers will wear it.
Kihachiro Onitsuka founded Onitsuka Tiger in ‘49 in Kobe, Japan. He started by making canvas basketball shoes out of his crib. In ‘77 the company was renamed Tiger Asics. Asics is an acronym for the Latin phrase, “Anima Sana In Corpore San,” which translates to “a sound mind in a sound body.” The ‘67 Marup was one of the first pairs of running shoes that really blew up beyond the runners’ market. It sold over 400,000 pairs. Completely slept on in the stretts of New York, these sneakers were waaaay before their time.
Posted by: e at August 13, 2004 7:47 PMIs the shoe that is on the cover of Jim Fixx’s book on running the Onitsuka Marup model? Are these shoes still available anywhere?
Posted by: Fern at September 1, 2004 11:57 AMhello, i would appreciate it if someone would help me find where i could custom make some adidas, thanks
Posted by: ash at December 22, 2004 12:42 AMComments are now closed for this entry. Thank you for playing.