This week’s #CrepCheck comes from the decade that brought us the modern trainers we know today. The 70’s saw the birth of hip-hop and with that came the development of a new styles and shoes. Here’s our 70’s favourites, from the recognisable to the re-created.
Nike Cortez, 1972
The Nike Cortez is the brand’s first track shoe, created in 1972. It was thought up by Bill Bowerman, track and field coach at the University of Oregon, who thought athletes needed more durable running shoes for the track. He wanted to improve the length of runners’ strides, so introduced a revolutionary foam wedge into the shoe’s heel. The shoe has since been labelled as key to Nike’s success as a brand, as public demand for the shoe grew hugely after it was seen on the feet of 1972’s US Olympic Athletes.
Adidas Stan Smith, 1971
The hugely popular Stan Smith was technically introduced to the world in 1967 as the shoe of French tennis player Robert Haillet, who’s career didn’t really amount to a big amount of fame. The shoe was re-named for Stan Smith in 1971 when he was World No.1.
Vans Sk8-High, 1978
The skater’s favourite added padded ankle protection so that so when the board flew off the pool and into their ankles they didn’t kill themselves,” said Steve Van Doren, son of the company’s founder. “That was a big thing, that saved lives for skaters, they loved them.”
The Nike Blazer, 1973
Blazers aren’t the people’s favourite shoe these days, but the shoe made waves in the trainer industry after it’s release in 1973. Named after Nike’s local basketball team in Oregon, Beaverton, the Blazer was a landmark release for a company that was only a start-up at the time.
Netflix celebrates the growth of 70’s hip-hop style that these shoes were an important part of in it’s brand new Original, The Get Down.