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“The Sneaker Sect”
Tuesday 4th November 2008
This is a piece I wrote for an assignment at University. It is based on the V&A’s “Fashion vs Sport” exhibition where we had to comment on a trend, silhouette or personality we found interesting. I got this piece of work back marked this week and gained a C- grade. I am happy with this as it is only my second piece of work I have done while at University. The copy below is as the piece was before marking.
“The Sneaker Sect”
The “Fashion V Sport” exhibition at the V&A, London, highlights the ever flourishing and evolving relationship between the Fashion and Sports worlds. The exhibition shows a range of examples where these two mammoth industries have collided to create one forward image. However there is one example of this collaboration that strides apart from the rest. The Sneaker.
Named after it’s unique noiseless quality the Sneaker has moved on in leaps and bounds since it’s humble beginning in the 1800s. The first Sneaker shaped shoe was the plimsoll and the first rubber and canvas show manufacturers was “Keds” who formed in 1892. After this in 1908 the “Converse” brand was born which was later to revolutionize Basketball and create an American legend.
As a sports wear essential the Sneaker is designed with practicality in mind for athletes. However it is the look of these shoes and their cultural identity and connotations that encourage people from around the globe to collect them in vast numbers. The connection between star athletes and sportswear is as prominent as the influence fashion has on the design on Sneakers. Many famous sports stars such as Michael Jordan, Muhammed Ali and David Beckham endorse and promote Sneakers by different brands. This is what makes the Sneaker so desirable to collectors.
The Sneaker Sect is a world wide phenomena where individuals will pay vast amounts of money for one pair of shoes. In most cases these shoes are a limited edition release so the Sneakers will probably never be worn. A collectors mentality that is usually associated with high flying fashionistas.