Sports Design Blog

Shoes You Never Knew

All of you know that I was a big fan of the shoe biz in the 1980's. I've written many times about my favorite basketball styles from back in the day. Many of those shoes set the tone for the modern sports industry and were responsible for the boom in sports products that still exists today. Most of them, you know very well.

Today I wanted to take a look at some styles that may not be as memorable as the Air Jordan or the Pony City Wing. Some of them you may not remember, or may have blotted out of your mind. The first shoe on my list is the Kinney Official NBA shoe from 1977. Obviously this style existed long before the Air Jordan revolution took place. The Kinney NBA shoe featured all of the modern shoe technologies of 1977, and a beautiful gold suede and mesh. Inside the shoe you see a great NBA logo pattern and the NBA logo on the tongue. Just so it doesn't get confused with an Adidas shoe of the time, there are four stripes instead of three. Where else can you get an official NBA endorsed shoe for $18.99? This is a great forgettable shoe from the 1970's.

Next on the list of forgotten shoes is the official NCAA basketball shoe from International Shoe Company circa 1984. Born in the pre-Jordan era, but during the Nike Air Force and Converse Fastbreak eras, the NCAA shoe is one I'm sure you don't remember. With style names like the Phi Slamma Jamma and the Alley-Opp, these shoes were deigned to capture the true spirit of NCAA basketball, all for a surprisingly low price, as the ad states. It is pretty obvious why this shoe design did not go down in history with its brothers from that era.

The last shoe on our list today is another player endorsed shoe that didn't come with the hoopla of the Jordan or the Converse Weapon. I've written before about Ralph Sampson's Pumas and Akeem Olajuwan's LA Gears. This shoe is another obscure player endorsed model. I remember the KangaRoo being endorsed by Walter Payton, but I forgot that "the shoe with a pocket" was also the footwear of choice for Clyde "the Glide" Drexler. The KangaRoos Slam Dunks were supposed to let you out-jump, out-spin, out-pivot and out-class your opponent. Clyde could get up in the air, so his KangaRoos may have helped.  The KangaRoo logo is one of the most original from the time and is prominently featured on the side of the Glide.

So there you go, some basketball shoe treasures you may have forgotten about from the golden era of the basketball shoe business.

Tim Duncan's Shoes

OK, time to get back to business. The holidays have come and gone and its time to get our focus back on sports design. As you know by my previous posts, I'm a fan of the San Antonio Spurs. Even though I live nowhere near Texas, I watch every Spurs game via NBA League Pass on DirecTV.

As I've watched the games, I've noticed that Tim Duncan has been wearing an uncharacteristically stylish shoe this season. Duncan is definitely not known for his outlandish style or for setting fashion trends. Timmy is usually the poster child for consistency and calm. However, this season Duncan has been at the leading edge of shoe design.

Duncan wears the Adidas TS Commander LT shoe and has been sporting one of the craziest shoe designs I've ever seen. According to this article at Sole Collector, the shoes Duncan has been wearing this year were originally meant to be a Halloween promotion for Adidas.

The shoes feature a shiny black base with a pattern that looks like the bones in Tim's feet. From the top, you can definitely see the graphic and how it flows down the shoe. The bone pattern creates one of the most unusual shoe designs I've ever seen. The shoe also features a large version of the mandatory Adidas three stripe pattern, but the shoe is dominated by the bones graphic.

The design can even be seen from the bottom of the shoe. The translucent tread reveals the bottom of Tim's bone pattern. Whether you are a fan of this design or not, there is no denying that it is an unusual look, especially when being worn by one of the league's most conservative players.

Old School Design: Converse All Stars

You know I've been a student of the basketball shoe industry ever since I slid that first pair of Air Jordan 1's onto my feet in the mid 1980's. I've written several times about the classics form the 1980's like the Air Jordan, the Converse Weapon and the Pony City Wing and the impact they had on the shoe business during that time.

As I was buying and wearing these crazy shoes in the 1980's, my Dad continued to swear by his Converse All Stars. I'll never forget the site of him taping up his ankles and sliding on his off-white low cut classic Chuck Taylor All Stars. He really had no need for the technology of the modern basketball shoe, just the comfort and familiarity of the original.

This ad from a 1969 Sports Illustrated features those classic original Converse All Stars. Before they became a fashion statement, the All Star was the shoe of choice for an entire generation of basketball players. This is the shoe that started the industry and was the standard of basketball performance for athletes for many years. The ad provides a great look at "your father's basketball shoe" and has an innocence that we can't imagine anymore.

The basketball shoe industry has certainly come a long way since the Chuck Taylor Converse All Star ruled the court.

Old School Design: Converse Weapons 1987

I continue to come across some great old school NBA advertising as I'm looking around for SDB subject matter. The start of the NBA season has really gotten me back in a basketball frame of mind and some of the things I am finding bring back some great memories from my good old days of the NBA.

The Weapon was Converse's attempt to take a bite out of the popularity of the Air Jordan. The Weapon used the NBA's other two big stars, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson as its endorsers. Back then, there were three types of fan, Jordan fans, Larry fans and Magic fans. Converse attempted to take on the Jordan giant with the other 2/3 of that equation. Most of us remember the classic image of Bird and Magic and the slogan "Choose Your Weapon".

This ad from 1987 features a few other NBA stars who joined the Weapon team. In addition to original endorsers Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, you see Isiah Thomas, Kevin McHale, Bernard King and Mark Aguirre. Converse hoped to capture even more market share by adding a few more high profile NBA stars to their endorsement list. The ad features a great look at the NBA uniform styles of the time period. Most notable is that shorts were still shorts at that time. It really does look strange to see the short style from 1987, since we have become so used to shorts not being shorts anymore. The image also features a great look at the sock styles of the day as well. High up on the calf with colored stripes, these socks were all the rage in the 1980's. The bottom of the ad features some of the color combinations that were available. Bernard King's version is interesting because it is the opposite of the other Weapons and looks much closer to a traditional design than the other color-blocked Weapons.

The Converse Weapon did have its moment in the spotlight, but it was not able to keep up with the Air Jordan and its ever changing cutting edge design. As the Weapon stayed the same, just shuffling colors around, the Air Jordan evolved into a different shoe each year and remained as the top shoe in the industry. This old school ad is another great look back at a great time in the athletic shoe business and at a great time in the NBA.

Editor's Note:

Thanks to SDB contributor Trev, I found this classic Weapon ad that features a unique rap performance by Kevin McHale (Thanks Trev):

Old School Design: Akeem Olajuwan LA Gear

As this week brings us the beginning of the 2009-10 NBA season, I thought it would be appropriate to explore a few NBA themes to get the week going. I'm a huge fan of the NBA, have been for a long time, so this is a great week for me.

In the 1980's, the NBA ruled the world and the shoes that were worn on the courts around the league were some of the most sought after items of the decade. We all know the story of the Air Jordan and its impact on the sports products business. We also remember the Converse Weapon, the Pony City Wing and the I've even written about the old Ralph Sampson Pumas. All of those shoes had their time in the spotlight in the 1980's and 1990's.

Today we take a look at one of the more obscure player endorsed shoes from that time period. LA Gear was a shoe company that was best known for its street style and its fitness image more than it was for its presence on the NBA basketball court. This ad from 1990 features Akeem Olajuwan (yes, pre-Hakeem Akeem) and his signature LA Gear basketball shoes.

The ad lacks the sophistication and story line that was so common in the other shoe ads at the time. The image features "The Dream" in an LA Gear themed practice uniform and a fire burning in the background with the theme of "Unstoppable" The shoes feature some familiar design cues that can also be found on the other shoes we mentioned earlier from the time period.

This Olajuwan LA Gear shoe will not go down in history alongside some of those other classics, but this old school ad provides a great look back at a time when the basketball shoe ruled the world.

Old School Design: 1980's Sneaker Wars

In today's Old School Design, we take a look back to the mid 1980's when the basketball shoe market was set to take off in popularity. The Air Jordan 1 had hit the scene and an entire nation of basketball crazy youth had to get their hands on this revolutionary shoe. The Air Jordan 1 created an entirely new shoe market that had not previously existed and the other major shoe brands from that time period did their best to catch the wave created by the Air Jordan 1. Here is a look at the actual hangtags from the Air Jordan 1 and some of the other companies who tried to capitalize on its success.

The hang tag from the Air Jordan 1 contains one of the most recognizable images in sports design history. The image of Michael Jordan flying over the skyline with his arms stretched out eventually became the basis for the Air Jordan logo that you still see today. It is definitely one of the most iconic images in sports history. This image features Michael Jordan in the must-have basketball gear of the day and the shoes in the image feature the black toe colorway, which was very rare. Also on the tag is the original winged Air Jordan logo, which is still one of my favorite logos of all-time. (click on the images for a larger view)

The inside of the hang tag has all of the information on the technology behind the Nike Air-Wedge System and all of the other technological innovations in the shoe. It tells the story of Michael Jordan being pro basketball's hottest new star. The technology in the shoe was innovative for its time, but it was the colorways and design that made this shoe the phenomenon that it was.

In order to get in the game with Nike, Pony introduced its own version of the multi-colored paneled basketball shoe, the City Wing.The City Wing was an obvious attempt by Pony International to catch some of the buzz created by Nike and the Air Jordan 1. The front of the hangtag from the Pony CIty WIng features an illustration of the shoe flying through the clouds. The City Wing came in many different colorways, and is one of the lesser known shoes from the mid 1980's, but definitley a classic.

The inside of the Pony City Wings hang tag features an illustration of the classic shoe along with its technological innovations. It also contains the slogan "Cleared for takeoff and ready to fly". The City Wing logo at the top has a somewhat NASCAR feel to it. The tag also features the Pony chevron logo. Though the City WIng was one of the more obscure shoes of the time, it was definitely one of my favorites.

Even Converse found it necessary to try and jump on the multi-colored shoe bandwagon with their two top stars, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The creation that Converse came up with was the Weapon. The Weapon was a bit of an unusual design, featuring classic Converse looks with multi-colored panels. The Magic Johnson version was definitely one of the more interesting colorways from the time period. The front of the hang tag features the ad campaign for the shoe, "Choose Your Weapon".

The inside of the Converse Weapon hang tag took a bit of a different approach than the Air Jordan 1 and the Pony City Wing. There is no fancy illustration of the shoe pointing out the technical aspects, just some copy bullet pointed by stars. The other side of the tag tells the story of the rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.The Converse Weapon was late to the game and it seemed a bit out of place on Magic and Larry, but was definitely a player in the shoe wars of the 1980's.

Old School Design: Pony City Wings

Everyone remembers the year that Michael Jordan introduced us to the first Air Jordan. That shoe would change an entire industry and set the sales of basketball shoes on fire. The colorful look of the original Air Jordan was like nothing ever seen before and set the basketball shoe industry into a frenzy.

To capitalize on the success of the Air Jordan and its unique look, other shoe companies brought out their version of the colorful shoe. One of the most notable was the Converse Weapons that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson wore in their famous dueling advertisements.

There is one more shoe from that era that tried to capitalize on the Air Jordan color craze that many may have forgotten, the Pony City Wing. The City Wing was a shoe that was very similar in design to the Air Jordan 1, but featured Pony's trademark chevron down the side. If you take a close look, the similarities are apparent. The City Wing came in several color combinations, but was best known for the red, white and black versions.

The most noteworthy Pony endorser was none other than Anthony "Spud" Webb. Spud Webb wore the low cut version of his City Wings during the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk Competition. Spud elevated in his City Wings to capture the Slam Dunk Championship over teammate Dominique Wilkins that night. For one night, the City Wing ruled the basketball shoe world! Another Pony City Wing wearer was Orlando Woolridge of the Chicago Bulls.

The City Wing rode the wave created by the Air Jordan and is one of the more obscure members of the basketball shoe craze of the 1980's.

Old School Design: Ralph Sampson Puma

Today's Old School Design takes a look at one of the less familiar basketball shoe posters of the 1980's. We all remember those classic Air Jordan shoe posters that Nike put out in the 1980's featuring the one and only Michael Jordan, but this one might not come to mind as quickly. The poster features Ralph Sampson of the Houston Rockets and his Puma shoes.

Sampson was one of the most hyped players in college basketball history at Virginia. His classic collegiate battles with Patrick Ewing and the other great stars of the 1980's are the thing of legend.

When Ralph entered the NBA, he paired with Hakeem Olajuwan to form the Houston Rockets Twin Towers. In the 1985-86 season, Sampson and his Rockets made it to the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. Though Sampson's career was cut short by injuries and he never reached his potential as an NBA star, he is definitely a college and professional basketball legend.

This classic Puma poster features Sampson in an Egyptian pyramid style scene paying homage to the Mighty Sampson, pushing apart the columns of the building. He is standing there in his own smooth style, sporting a classic pair of Pumas. This is one of those classic posters that has been forgotten over time, but thanks to Sports Design Blog, you get to live it all over again! I guess the Puma was not just for break dancing after all!

Sneaker Design: Top 5 Favorite Air Jordans

Since Uniwatch published my early shoe design treasures yesterday, I've been in a basketball shoe mode ever since. Today I want to take a look at my top 5 favorite Air Jordans of all-time. As a young basketball player growing up in the 1980's, there was nothing more special than the Air Jordan shoe. I know I had way too many of them, but I loved the designs, the advertising and the posters that went along with them. So, here you go, my top 5:

#5 Air Jordan 2

The Air Jordan 2 was a drastic departure from the original Air Jordan that preceded it. The Air Jordan 2 took basketball shoe design to a level never seen before. The shoe featured a side panel that had an iguana skin look. The tongue of the shoe featured the winged Air Jordan logo that had become so famous. The Air Jordan 2  was so different than the shoe it followed, but still gave the shoe buying public something it had never seen before. The design innovations alone land this Air Jordan 2 at the #5 spot in my favorite list.

#4 Air Jordan 17

The Air Jordan 17 is most famous for being the first Air Jordan to come out with a retail cost of $200. The shoe was completely over the top. It was the poster child for sneaker business excess. It came packaged in a silver Air Jordan suitcase style box with a Michael Jordan CD. The shoe featured many high tech features, including the blue carbon fiber panel along the bottom. The design of the shoe was simple, sleek and refined and the color scheme had a great balance.

#3 Air Jordan 1 Black/Red/White

This was the shoe that started it all. The original Air Jordan 1 was the catalyst that launched the basketball shoe craze that continues to grow. For innovation alone, this one should be at the top of the list, but my list is one that profiles my favorite designs, so this Air Jordan 1 hits the list at #3. After Michael Jordan appeared on the court in these shoes, basketball players all over the country hustled to get their hands on a pair of them. It is truly one of the greatest creations in sports design history.

#2 Air Jordan 3 Black/Cement

The Air Jordan 3 was the first to use the Jumpman logo, rather than the winged Air Jordan logo that was used on the Air Jordan 1 and 2. The shoe was another completely new design, different than both of the Air Jordans that came before. The shoe was a mid-cut, rather than the full high top of the first two. The original color scheme was white/red/cement, but this color scheme is one of my favorite sneaker designs ever. The shoe had a clean design, with the contrasting animal skin elements on the front and back. This one could be #1 on my list, no doubt, as it is one of my all-time favorites.

#1 Air Jordan 1 Black/Blue

This Air Jordan 1 is not nearly as well known as its siblings done up in red and black, but is my favorite of all-time. Of all the pairs of Air Jordans I owned, this colorway was the one I enjoyed the most. The dark black and royal blue made a great color combination and the shoe had some of the flair of Michael's original solid black and red AJ1. I know that this would not likely make a historical list's top spot, but in my list of favorite designs, this is my top pick.

Thanks for letting me indulge my inner shoe designer. The design of the Air Jordan was one of my favorite subjects growing up and I still have a love for their innovative designs and styles. As you could see from my appearance on Uniwatch yesterday, I was a shoe design afficianado and the Air Jordan's designs were at the root of my graphics obsession!