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There is little doubt that there have been changes in the sneaker culture. There was a time when new designs and models were a regular occurrence, and the term retro was reserved for dudes looking to dress like “The Fonz,” or restored show cars. Today, however, retro kicks have been all the rage. New models and technologies are still introduced, but kicks from years gone by have taken over the sneaker world. This is not necessarily a new phenomenon, but the trend appears to have reached levels unforeseen by many companies, leaving them to reach into their archive to breathe life into models of yesteryear. Is this an extended phase? Outside of signature shoes, will retro kicks take over even more than they already have? We take a deeper look into the movement as we evaluate the retro sneaker wave.
The thought to resuscitate a popular shoe is not a recent development. The Nike Air Force 1 was introduced to the world in 1982. Though a favorite among athletes and non-athletes alike, Nike decided to discontinue production in 1984. However, the people were not done with the Air Force 1 quite yet. Individuals began to customize them with sewn-on applications and hand-painted details. Nike realized the demand, and brought the Nike Air Force 1 back to shelves in 1986, and the first retro was born. Almost three decades later, the Air Force 1 is still around, and currently holds the top spot for the best selling athletic shoe in history.
Possibly, one of the first companies to really embrace the idea of “retroing” sneakers was Jordan Brand. In 1994, the brand reached into the archives to bring back the Air Jordan 3 in its two original colorways, six years after they originally released. Though this action was met with a little trepidation, Jordan Brand decided to try the tactic again by releasing a high-top and low-top Air Jordan 2 in the same year. Needless to say, Jordan Brand has basked in the long-term success, retroing sneakers for years since. They even took it up a notch by releasing models in new colors that were not available upon original release, such as the Air Jordan 11 “Space Jam.” In fact, some would argue that after the release of the Air Jordan 14 in 1998 (the last model Michael Jordan wore as a Chicago Bull), Jordan retros are more popular than new Air Jordan models released during the subsequent years. These days, it seems a new retro Jordan releases every other week in a new color scheme, and there is no sign of an impending decline. The widespread acceptance of Jordan retros could have been the influencing factor in Nike bringing back other signature shoes from their annals, such as the Nike Air Pippen.
Nike Air Pippen 1 Retro
