STAN SMITH : a legendary Sneaker

Today, I would like to tell you the story about the Stan Smith. Of course, if I talk about legendary shoe, you will tell me to talk about Air Jordan but the Stan Smith has a Guinness Record that no other sneakers has: it is the best selling shoe in the world with more than 70 millions pairs sold since its creation in the 1960s! That is why the Stan Smith is actually a legendary sneaker. But, what is the story about this shoe? How she became an unavoidable Sneaker? So, let is go to come back on the story of this shoe.

How the Stan Smith is born?

We are in the 1960s and the German brand is really famous for its soccer boots. But, Adidas wants to add a new product range and renew its image. For this, the company will chose the Tennis, which is a booming sport at this time. The brand will choose the number one French tennis player: Robert Haillet. The goal of this collaboration is to create an innovative basket made with leather. The brand chose to produce this model in France and will be commercialize in 1964.

What were the characteristics and the look of the first Adidas Robert Haillet?

So, this model was entirely white. Only the name of the French tennis man and the top part of the heel (where is situated the logo of the brand) were colored with the famous green. The three strips have been replaced by holes to allow the shoe to breathe. The leather is directly stitched on the sole to enhance the solidity. The sole is made up of “honeycomb" alveoli to improve adhesion.

When the Adidas Robert Haillet became the Adidas Stan Smith?  

In 1971, the German will sign the American Tennis player Stanley Smith. The both French and American players will continue to embody the innovative basketball until 1974. After this date, only Stanley Smith is the only egery of the brand. Finally, the Adidas Robert Haillet becomes the Adidas Stan Smith in 1978. A frame is added on the tongue of the shoe, where appear the name of the brand, the face and the signature of Stanley Smith.

From the tennis court to the City streets 

The model will become very famous during the 1990s. Indeed, the Stan Smith is now a fashionable accessory. It becomes one of the first sneakers to be worn outside a sportive activity, in the street. At that time, it is like a symbol of the protest culture: break-dancers, the protest movement “Skinhead”, the English Hooligans and musical movements “Reggae” and “Ska” wore it. After this period, sales were not very good but, in the 1990’s, the famous shoe came back with the emergence of the Hip-Hop culture. The famous rap crew Run DMC will sign a contract with the German brand to do the promotion of the Stan Smith. They also made a special song “My Adidas” which really increase the sales of Adidas. So now, this basket is unavoidable.

The end of the Stan Smith?

Gradually, the sales of the Stan Smith will decrease year by year and, in 2011, the brand chose to not produce the famous basket anymore, to stop the production. Of course, it is a shock for lovers of this shoe and sneakers in general. But, the pressure and the envy of the Stan Smith push Adidas to restart the production on the famous shoe. They become again mode icons. Now, they are made with materials more sophisticated and with better quality. Moreover, some collaboration has been signed (with Pharrell Williams and Colette for example). They are better than never and Adidas commercialize new models with new colours, elements and materials that allow to this Basket to become even more mythic!

Don’t hesitate to comment, share and like this post and, above all, see you tomorrow for the Sneaker of the Week #3.