They are the most famous sports shoes in history. Born between the First and Second World Wars, and after its disproportionate success during the 1960s and onwards, sports footwear has established itself as a true trend.

Converted into a benchmark and icon of popular culture, we are talking about an essential classic in fashion, both urban and sports, that celebrities from half the world democratized. Everyone wanted to be Borg or McEnroe. Later, Michael Jordan.

Over time, the inclusion of sports shoes in streetwear (urban fashion) led to them becoming the object of desire of the new generations. The 80s and 90s served to show that you could play sports in style... and that the new luxury was on the streets: Grace of Monaco, Princess Diana, John J. Kennedy and Carolyn Bessette, Jennifer Aniston or Claudia Schiffer... Today, they dream with imitating Alexa Chung or Hailey Bieber.

In short, this casual shoe with a vintage aesthetic established a business that generates billions of dollars annually. The Adidas Stan Smith collection, Reebok Classic, Nike Air Force Eleven... or even the pioneers, Dunlop and Superga, are some of those that come to mind. All of them were conceived for sporting purposes and, unsurprisingly, focused on anything but design. We go through the history of some of these cult models that fascinate us.

Iconic sports models

1. Converse All Star

It is one of the quintessential American shoes and is among the most legendary and representative of all time. As the brand itself presumes, more than a shoe, Converse lives through legends, heroes and precursors bound by the love of sport.

Its wraparound ankle silhouette was designed around the ergonomic needs of players on the pitch. In addition, it became the official shoe of the 1936 Olympics and was linked to the uniform of the United States Army soldiers (also being the favorite among NBA players during the 1960s).

Founded by Marquis M Converse in 1908, the brand represents American sneakers with more than 100 years of history. She was the first to capture how sports captivated men and women with the idea of ​​fulfilling the American dream.

Already in the 70s, his attractiveness declined on the street, but he gained weight among the young rebels. With Los Ramones, the firm reinvented itself thanks to the inclusion of the black All Stars on the cover of their debut album, when the history of Converse changed forever.

In 1908, Marquis M. Converse founded The Converse RubberShoe Company with the idea of ​​supplying young athletes with footwear with more flexibility and comfort… until in 1917 they developed the first basketball shoe, the well-known All Star.

Currently, the brand is marketed worldwide and has the record of having sold more than 1,000 million pairs in the world with this model alone.

2.Nike Air Jordan

They changed the history of the sport and their name could only be due to the great Michael Jordan. At that time, in addition to changing the history of basketball, his image was the perfect magnet for the world of advertising in general and sneakers in particular.

Proof of this was that he built the brand, after signing with Nike in 1984, in his image and likeness (in which he obtained more benefits than his six rings, his five MVP trophies or his legacy as one of the best athletes in the history).

“The Air Jordan 1 was the first shoe I wore to Madison Square Garden in New York in 1984 and I wanted it to be the last. It was March 1998 and I knew I would never play on that court again”, our protagonist said at the time. Nothing to add.

3. New Balance 990

The history of this legendary American brand began last century in Massachusetts. It was the first shoe in the world created expressly for running; although the first New Balance 990 model emerged in 1982 and positioned itself as the most expensive running shoe in the world.

They were also the first to carry the characteristic giant N on the sides. A logo, the work of Terry Heckler, that overshadowed rivals like Nike or Adidas for a while. Converted into the queens of casual, they were a cult brand among runners.

New Balance emerged as synonymous with stability, cushioning and flexibility. In 2007 New Balance 992 emerged, an evolution of the series, which became part of Steve Jobs' daily uniform. If we have one thing clear, it is that the classic New Balance will be the maximum trend this fall.

4.Superga 2750

This Italian brand with more than 100 years of history was born under the care and attention of Walter Martiny in 1911. Then, the Superga factory began to produce sneakers with rubber soles.

It was in Turin that the classic style of the Superga 2750 was developed in 1925. After closing during the war, the factory reopened with a mission to bring high-quality footwear to the people of Italy. Said and done: with a special design for playing tennis, with a simple and minimalist silhouette, the 2750 established itself as the most popular canvas shoe in the country. In short, an Italian icon capable of moving from the court to the street with incredible ease.

Made of vulcanized rubber, this shoe completely changed the rhythm of athletes... and was perfected again when the brand was acquired by Pirelli in 1951. The sale marked the rebirth of the same that, after the outbreak of the Second World War, had been forced to close. Over time, it began to be consumed as an alternative to traditional shoes, revolutionizing the market during the 1970s and 1980s.

Although it failed during the 90s, from the beginning of the new century, and from then on, it became common to see style references stepping on the asphalt with them (and in different colors).

Already in 2007, the firm was acquired in its entirety by the Italian group BassicNet, billing more than 170 million euros per year. Its history leaves us famous consumers of Superga 2750; from Lady Di to Michelle Obama, through Steven Spielberg, Brad Pitt or Halle Berry.

5.Reebok Classic

They are an icon of sports fashion and the most emblematic of the firm. With more than 60 years of experience, this Reebok Classic model has been adapting to the times since its appearance in 1983.

The arrival of the Classic Leather dazzled the public by including premium leather, becoming a symbol of conscious style, especially those made of white leather.

The white color and its simple design were the perfect ingredients to unleash the madness during the 90's. A claim on the asphalt for people of all ages, sexes and hobbies. In short, a classic that never fails.

6. Adidas Stan Smith

From the tennis court to the street. The Stan Smith are one of the most influential models on the market (and Adidas's best sellers). What's more, the 22 million pairs sold in 1988 earned the house the Guinness World Record and its three stripes are an exception in the firm's catalog... We'll tell you the story:

In 1963, Adidas created its first tennis shoes. Specifically, Horst Dassler, son of Adolf Dassler, its founder, presented unprecedented leather sneakers on the track that became one of the most famous pairs in the world. The novelty? Its leather upper with three stripes of holes on the side was designed so that the foot breathes better (oh, and with a rubber sole).

Although at first its name was in honor of Robert Haillet, a legendary tennis player from the 60s, almost two decades later they adopted the one we already know. Haillet, one of the best of the time, began to decline as a player and ended up retiring.

At that time, the American Stan Smith was beginning to emerge and would end up becoming number 1 in the world. As a consequence, and for the next 30 years, the Stan Smith was relaunched several times.

After a bad run, the model stopped being manufactured... until in 2014 they regained their position and were crowned the best-selling model in the history of Adidas. Specifically, they exceeded 44 million pairs sold.

7. Saucony original jazz

They may not be among the best known, but if we know something, it is that Saucony is one of the most recognized brands in the world. Founded in 1898 in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, on the upper banks of Saucony Creek (from which the brand would get its name). Since then, they have been loyal to the sport and have invited millions of people around the world to run with them.

Dedicated to sports shoes, they had a great takeoff in the first half of the 20th century, when athletics began to take off. In the absence of a running shoe as such, Saucony offered a product that benefited athletes in their goal of running better.

This is how the first model in Saucony's range of running shoes, the Spike 7446, was born in 1958. At that time, it was so popular that the model began to be seen on the asphalt as casual footwear.

In 1981, the Saucony Jazz model, the pioneering running shoe, was first launched on the market. Wearing this model, the New Zealander Rod Dixon won the New York Marathon with one of the most spectacular finishes in the history of athletics. And the firm thus became a benchmark.

Already in 2009 Kinvara arrived, the milestone in Saucony's history. The success lay in being inspired by the requests of the athletes sponsored by the brand. Specifically, they asked for a model that would allow them to run naturally, going back to basics and eliminating everything superfluous (that was not essential) without giving up good cushioning. A sports shoe, after all.