In a period where trends are more fleeting than ever and style references are constantly changing, one might wonder if there are still clothing items that will never go out of style. Finding an answer may seem like a daunting task, especially when our search starts with shoes. However, just as closets always contain valuable clothes with a lot of history, shoe racks also hide their treasures. An example is given by sneakers that often transcend the trends of a season and become an iconic object, a timeless classic.
1. CONVERSE CHUCK TAYLOR 70
One of the most emblematic and enduring sneakers that continue to be in style today are undoubtedly the Chuck Taylor 70. Just under a century ago, Charles “Chuck” Taylor, a basketball player from the 1920s sponsored by the then budding Converse All Star brand, began to popularize the All Star model after making some improvements to the anatomy of his game shoes. From 1957, Converse began to produce the swag version very similar to the one we know, with a low cut design. In the 1960s, the name of that famous basketball player was engraved on the shoes that have made a long journey to our times. In the 1970s, they became the preferred footwear of rock bands like the Ramones, in the 1980s they were a symbol of an entire generation, and in the 1990s they ended up on the feet of Hollywood actors who chose them for their downtime away from the set. These are truly a pair of sneakers that calling them a classic is almost an understatement.
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2. ADIDAS STAN SMITH
The German brand Adidas created its first pair of leather tennis shoes in 1971. At that time, the world’s number one tennis player Stan Smith wore them, a perfect spokesperson to reach the American market and introduce everyone to the new Adidas product. A communication technique that today’s influencers know very well. From that moment, the white sneaker with the colored detail on the heel of the Achilles tendon area went around the world. A success that in the late 1980s led the iconic Stan Smith shoes to set a Guinness record as the best-selling tennis shoes in the history of humanity. A record that today translates into being the most instagrammed sneakers.
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3. NIKE CORTEZ
The origin of these sneakers dates back to 1971 and Mexico. At the time, Nike aimed for the idea of a functional shoe that, for its comfort, was suitable for the needs of all athletes. In conjunction with the 1970 World Cup held in Mexico, Adidas, Nike’s direct rival, introduced the “adidas Azteca” ball and started from that same line of play to propose the new tennis clothing. To respond to the launch of Azteca, Nike named its sports shoes Nike Cortez, an adaptation of the surname of Hernán Cortés as a tribute to Mexico. From that moment, Nike Cortez shoes have appeared in every corner of the world. In the collective imagination, one of the most important moments in the history of these sneakers is seeing them appear in a scene from the famous cult film Forrest Gump, when the character played by Tom Hanks receives a pair of Nike Cortez as a gift.
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4. VANS THE ERA
The skateboarding craze of the 1970s spawned one of the most iconic relaxation sneakers. The company Vans, still small at the time, designed a shoe for a young audience that was suitable for a skateboard lover with a modern, well-crafted aesthetic design. The brand found success with the Vans 95, now known as The Era, used by professionals of the caliber of Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta. There were two versions of the sneaker: red and blue, but their popularity and strong sales growth led the brand to offer a wide range of colors until launching a slip-on version in 1979. Vans The Era rightfully belongs to the select group of iconic shoes that stand the test of time and are still present in every man’s shoe rack.
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5. REEBOK CLASSIC LEATHER
One of the classics that never goes out of style is the Reebok Classic Leather, always current and with the same strength as the 1990s, the decade that saw them dominate the world. Born in 1983, it has a silhouette that immediately became number one in the United States thanks to its flexibility and an important record: it was the first unisex running shoe. During the ’90s, the Reebok Classic Leather became a symbol of pop culture in the UK and was seen in all gyms and dance floors. Precisely in 2019, Reebok brought back this success from the 1990s with the brand logo in large sizes and a rubber sole.
6. FILA DISRUPTOR II
In the 1990s, an oversized and somewhat aggressive sneaker became a trend in the fitness scene. The rise of Eurodance and aerobics was the ideal launch platform for Fila Disruptor II, determined to conquer the feet of men and women. The real success came in the mid-’90s and continued until the beginning of the new century. For a while, fashion set them aside, but they came back into the spotlight in 2015 with the rise of “streetwear.” The credit goes to Demna Gvasalia, Gosha Rubchinskiy, the most representative figures of this trend. Disruptor II thus lived its second life returning with much more force. Most likely, after this “reincarnation,” they are destined to remain a classic.
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7. NEW BALANCE 99X
The New Balance 99X series derives from the iconic 990 produced in 1982. Since then, this type of sneaker has been constantly reinterpreted, keeping the numbering “99” as a prefix. They have been the preferred shoes of Steve Jobs and many men. Their secret is to have a design that adapts well to every outfit and occasion.
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