How a rubber-soled sports shoe became fashion’s most collected object.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 15 November 2026
Where did sneakers come from?
Rubber-soled canvas shoes appeared in the 19th century. Converse launched its All Star basketball shoe in 1917, later named after the player and salesman Chuck Taylor. In Germany, the brothers Adolf and Rudolf Dassler split their company in 1948, creating Adidas and Puma, rivals ever since.
Why was the Air Jordan so important?
Nike’s Air Jordan 1 of 1985, made for the rookie Michael Jordan, turned a basketball shoe into a personality and created the idea of the signature sneaker. A year later Run-DMC released “My Adidas” and landed an endorsement deal, cementing the link between sneakers and hip-hop. Street culture, not sport, has driven sneaker fashion ever since.
What are drops and resale?
Brands release limited editions and collaborations in small “drops”, often by online raffle, and the scarcity creates queues and huge resale prices on platforms like StockX and GOAT. Virgil Abloh’s Off-White collaboration with Nike, The Ten (2017), and Dior’s Air Jordan 1 (2020) are among the most sought-after pairs of the era.
When did luxury houses start making sneakers?
Seriously in the 2010s, as streetwear took over fashion. Balenciaga’s chunky Triple S (2017) launched the “dad shoe” trend, and almost every house now sells sneakers, often among its bestsellers. Lately the mood has shifted to slim, retro styles such as the Adidas Samba and Onitsuka Tiger. Read the birth of streetwear.
Read on Ayerhs: How to Style Sneakers with Dresses and Skirts · The Resale Boom, Explained · The Birth of Streetwear