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Some might think that this article is the wrong way around: surely it’s about what skate-footwear designers borrowed from mainstream sneaker culture? But, dig a little deeper and you’ll find that it goes both ways. The history of skaters wearing Jordans, Bruins, Blazers, Nizzas, and Chuck Taylors has been well-documented in great depth many times before—when the skate industry stagnated, it was up to skaters to reappropriate what was readily available. Once the Embarcadero locals gave their stamp of approval to wearing Superstars, Campus, and States, it signaled a more open-minded approach to choosing the right footwear to skate in. Why pay $100 for Airwalk Prototypes when you could pick up three pairs of PUMA Baskets for the same budget? This new-found crossover appeal meant you no longer needed to pick up a separate pair of “chillers” for after-hours either.
The following wave of skater-owned shoe brands in the ’90s learned from the mistakes of their predecessors, resulting in some of the most innovative shoe designs in skate history. It’s true to say that not everything worked, but it heralded a brave new world where risk-taking was applauded.
Themed Releases
Enhancements
Artistic Collaborations
Sports footwear usually has a set purpose—performance. While skate shoes were clearly function-based, skating is less about achievement and more about style and creativity. With many skaters participating in and actively embracing creative pastimes, it was inevitable that artist projects would start to show up on the shelves. DC Shoes were early pioneers with their Artist Series, utilizing the skills of creative types such as Evan Hecox, Natas Kaupas, and SSUR, with many other brands following suit. Nowadays, most sneaker companies have released collaborative projects in conjunction with artists, musicians, DJs, fashion designers, and more.
Beyond Skating
The big brands wanted in on skating—but what about the reverse? Supreme was quick off the mark, producing their own Air Force-inspired Downlow model in 2001 and the Midtown in 2002, before establishing a strong lineage of collaborations with non-skate brands such as Doctor Martens and Clarks. Other skate brands have also looked beyond creating shoes strictly intended for skating: Palace’s recent Penny Loafer clearly resonated with many people, while the much-missed Gravis often blurred the boundaries, with designs that were equally valid on or off the board. Supra’s hugely popular Skytop (again, another Chad Muska creation) showed just how powerful a skate shoe could be outside of the skating world—almost a decade since its unveiling, the Skytop’s influence can still be seen on high streets across the world. DC, Vans, éS—almost every core skate brand has had a non-skate model in their product line-up at one time or another.
Full Circle
Skaters have adopted mainstream sneaker models throughout history. Many of the brands slowly picked up on this, re-presenting classic models from their archives and repackaging them for the skate market. The story of skaters, such as Bones Brigade, wearing Jordan 1s is the perfect analogy for this. Nike’s celebration of this unofficial endorsement culminated in the SB Air Jordan in 2014, with the paint-dipped Lance Mountain editions intriguing skaters and non-skaters alike: Whether you liked or loathed the mainstream brands involvement in the skate market, there was no taking away from the legitimacy of the project. The story behind Dennis Busenitz’s pro model for adidas—effectively taking the Copa Mondial (a soccer shoe) and tweaking it for skate purposes—opened the door for more traditional sports models being adjusted for skating. The Palace x Reebok Workout Low took us back to the days of Kareem Campbell’s KCK model from 1995, which borrowed from the Workout’s original styling and introduced it to a new audience. Switching a regular shoe’s intended use and making it skate-friendly was something that a brand could only dream of back in the ’90s.