See the Incredible Evolution of Sneakers in the Brooklyn Museum's Latest Exhibit
When the athleisure movement (in conjunction with the normcore trend) started to gain traction last year, there was a discernible shift in the shoe sphere, in which teetering sky-high stilettos stepped aside to make room for comfy kicks in throwback styles, graphic florals, and everything in between. Enter customization, designer collabs, and celebrity limited edition launches, and sneaker options are impossibly endless.
Following in the footsteps of its "Killer Heels: Art of the High Heel Shoe" exhibit, Brooklyn Museum has put on an exhibition "The Rise of Sneaker Culture" that explores, well, sneaker culture, tracing its origins from the 1800s to the present, touching on the Air Jordan phenomenon, innovative styles, and high-fashion designs throughout history.
"The Rise of Sneaker Culture is the first exhibition to explore the complex social history and cultural significance of the footwear now worn by billions of people throughout the world," states a Brooklyn Museum press release. The exhibit, which features 150 pairs of sneakers, will be on display from now until October 4 at the Brooklyn Museum (200 Eastern Parkway in Brooklyn, N.Y.).
But in case you won't be in the area anytime soon, we brought the exhibit to you. Ahead, study up on the evolution of sneakers, courtesy of the museum.
PHOTOS: See the Evolution of Sneakers from the Brooklyn Museum's "Rise of Sneaker Culture" Exhibit
Thomas Dutton and Thorowgood
Running Shoe, 1860–65
1 of 18
Converse Rubber Shoe Company
All Star/Non Skid, 1917
2 of 18
Dominion Rubber Company
Fleet Foot, circa 1925
3 of 18
Gebrüdder Dassler Schuhfabrik
Modell Waitzer, 1936
4 of 18
Converse
Gripper, late 1940s-early 1950s
5 of 18
Nike
Waffle Trainer, 1974
6 of 18
Adidas
Stan Smith, circa 1980s
7 of 18
Adidas
Micropacer, 1984
8 of 18
Nike
Air Jordan I, 1985
9 of 18
Nike
Air Jordan III, 1988
10 of 18
Nike
Foamposite, 1997
11 of 18
Nike x Supreme
Dunk High Pro SB, 2003
12 of 18
Nike x Tom Sachs
NikeCraft Lunar Underboot Aeroply Experimentation Research Boot Prototype, 2008–12
13 of 18
Louis Vuitton x Kanye West
Don, 2009
14 of 18
Pierre Hardy
Poworama, 2011
15 of 18
adidas x Run—DMC
25th Anniversary Superstar, 2011
16 of 18
PUMA x Undefeated
Clyde Gametime Gold, 2012
17 of 18
Common Projects
Achilles Low, 2015