A celebration of the great sneaker collaborations that have reimagined
the shoe, elevating this most practical of footwear into the realm of
wearable art.
The ubiquitous sneaker is the canvas upon which so many defiers of
convention--artists, musicians, athletes, and celebrities--have sought
to make their mark and through the sneaker contribute to a unique
identity and attitude among sneakerheads everywhere. Collected here are
the best sneaker collaborations with the biggest makers--Adidas,
Converse, Nike, Puma, Reebok--featuring nearly one hundred famous,
infamous, and lesser-known partnerships.
Museum-quality studio photographs of each sneaker are accompanied by
visuals collected from the archives of sneaker makers, as well as
ephemera such as design sketches and drawings illustrating the creative
process. Author Elizabeth Semmelhack has conducted interviews with many
collaborators, including an extensive Q&A with Chris Hill, design
manager of Reebok, who has worked with Pyer Moss, Cam'ron, and many
others.
In her introduction, Semmelhack explores the history of collaborations,
starting at the beginning with Jack Purcell, whose sneakers remain
virtually unchanged today. More than eighty sneaker collaborations are
featured, including Virgil Abloh (ten styles!), KAWS, Pharrell Williams,
Bobbito Garcia, Damien Hirst, Jeremy Scott, Eminem, Supreme, Chanel,
Missoni, Rihanna, Missy Elliott, Dr. Woo, and Fear of God.
