No, not the one-hit-wonder of the late nineties, but rather the 15 year mega hit magazine Sneaker Freaker and their new Taschen book Sneaker Freaker: The Ultimate Sneaker Book.
The Ultimate Sneaker Book is for those of us that love a shell-toe or a high-top. The book tracks 15 years of the cult magazine of trainers – Sneaker Freaker. Traversing 100 years of history, the 650-page hardback paints a romping picture of the trainer industry’s evolution and elevation from humble sport shoe to heroic superstar.
Classic Air Max, first released in 1987: Image Sneaker Freaker
It features the great and grandiose. Legendary fresh treads Air Max, Air Force, Adi Dassler, Converse, Kanye, Dapper Dan, Dee Brown, Michael Jordan, and Yeezy step out alongside obscure treasures of Troop, Airwalk, and Vision Street Wear.
You’ll have loved and lost more than a few of these gems
You’ll have loved and lost more than a few of these gems and you’ll wish you’d never done that last kick-flip, ball game or drunken dare and simply kept them perfect and pristine in the box.
So many loves lost.
Sneaker Freaker: The Ultimate Sneaker Book can at least put you in touch with your misspent and overpriced youth.
I miss my Gazelles…
Click here to buy the Sneaker Freaker book now
2003: The Holy Grail of SB collecting, the ‘eBay’ Dunk was auctioned off for charity in 2003, with a winning bid of $ 26k! The anonymous winner received a pair in their size, while the original sample was destroyed by chainsaw. Good luck trying to locate the only pair in existence – let alone add it to your collection
2005: Superstar #35 was entirely handmade and presented in a white case with gold-plated hardware.
Photograph: Sneaker Freaker
1998: Nike’s Air Max Plus – aka the TN – in ‘Orange Tiger’. First released in 98, then resurrected in 2013.
Photograph: Taschen
Air bubbles for earrings. 2017: to launch the Air VaporMax. Image: Nike
1989: The Pump packaging. Image: Sneaker Freaker
1992: Pump (unreleased) Image: Sneaker Freaker
1987: Reebok Freestyle Hi. Reebok was the first footwear company to design a shoe specifically for aerobics.
Photograph: Reebok Archive