Sneakers are no longer just trainers but a true symbol, so much so that they have even reached the high fashion catwalks. Rubber sole, versatile style, a pair of sneakers cannot be missing from a man's wardrobe, an absolute must have. Here is the story of a shoe that has become legend.
Everyone is crazy about sneakers , the iconic sneakers . But beware of defining them in this way, it would mean debasing them. Sneakers, in fact, are no longer simple sports shoes but true protagonists of men's clothing, at all levels. They even parade on the major international fashion catwalks. Year after year, increasingly different models are created, in terms of style and characteristics. There really are some for all tastes and everyone has at least a pair in their wardrobe. This is why it is worth telling their story a little, to get to know them better and appreciate their character even more.
The soul of Sneakers, between sport and style
Let's start with the name. Sneakers, from the English to sneak , a verb that means to move furtively (Treccani), silently. Just like someone who wears a pair of shoes with a rubber sole can do. This, in fact, is their essential characteristic, what makes them so comfortable and practical. The materials with which the sneakers are made reveal their sporty soul, but their appearance is often very elegant and refined. This makes them perfect to be worn together with a jacket, creating an eye-catching and refined casual style .
At the origins of a myth
The passion for sneakers exploded in the second half of the 20th century. Their origins and the needs they respond to, however, are much older. Going back through the centuries to look for an ancestor of these famous shoes, we can even go back to the natives of America (16th century). During their travels or endless hunting trips, the Indians protected their feet by applying a layer of natural latex to the soles. The first prototype of a rubber sole. The idea is winning but still very embryonic. The leap forward occurred in 1850 when, in England, the first sneaker with a latex sole was created, made extremely resistant by the vulcanization process (discovered in 1839). From then on, it's all a crescendo. In 1917 mass production arrived, in 1924 Adidas were born, in 1984 Nike's Air Jordans saw the light, the most famous sneakers ever, signed by the basketball champion Michael Jordan .
In the heart of high fashion
For over a century, sneakers have dressed the feet of great film, television and sports stars . The first to dedicate them was James Dean , who also wore them in the film Rebel Without a Cause . The real recognition as a style icon, however, has arrived in recent times, when the sneakers even ended up on the high fashion catwalks. Two giants of international style such as Giorgio Armani and Yves Saint Laurent , among others, have thought about enhancing them. And with two godfathers like that, it's easy to argue that sneakers are shoes that will never go out of fashion.