Running shoes also known as Sports shoes in local Malaysian family terms is currently the trend among youngsters in Malaysia; with top-notch sports brand like Adidas, Nike, Puma, New Balance, Under Armour etcetera… Leading on these sales, it would be uncommon to see a few youngsters sporting in a pair during shopping.
Running shoes are a relatively new invention from our ancestors for being only 200 years old worth of historical value. The Britons invented them in the 18th century; in 1832 Wait Webster made the first breakthrough with the discovery that rubber soles could be attached to the bottom of the leather shoes or boots and that leads to the existence of Plimsolls. Nineteen years later, Joseph William Foster – founder of Bolton now Reebok decided to add spikes to the soles of the plimsolls and invented the modern running spikes used by athletes around the world today.
1920, Adolf Dassler the father of modern running shoes started making shoes, each shoe has a special hand-forged set of running spikes and was specifically made for a certain running distance. By 1936, his shoes were well known internationally as the best; the athletes of the Calibre also wore them. In 1948, he founded the company Adidas - now more commonly known as Adidas. 1949 began the new era of sportswear manufacturing, in Japan – Mr. Onitsuka started the Onitsuka Co. Ltd after post world war II, seeing the poor economy of Japan after the war, he asks himself ‘What can I do to give them a better future?’ his love for sports answered the question and led him to establish Asics.
The post-war period fuelled the demands for leisure footwear, fitness craze from the 30s made sneakers being associated with sports and leisure activities. In 1936, the U.S Basketball team adopted Converse Chuck Taylors as their official shoe and began the rise of celebrity endorsement. While in Berlin Germany, Dassler’s running shoes worn at the Berlin Olympics. In 1950, Famous runners supplied with free shoes. Flash forward to 1962, New Balance introduced the first scientifically tested shoe and weighed 96 grams. Six years later, brush spikes were introduced to replace the traditional four spike running shoes.
Phil Knight, a business major from the University of Oregon was a track and field miler; he was not happy with the types of shoes available during that time and decided to establish a company with his coach, Bill Bowerman to market shoes designed by Bowerman. The first shoes were known as Tiger Shoes and their cushion heel wedge was their defining characteristic of the shoe. Originally, the company was known as Blue Ribbon Sports. Now, they are more commonly known as Nike. Fact, Nike was named after the Greek goddess of victory. The first big innovation for Nike began in 1972; Bowerman poured rubber into a waffle iron in his kitchen and gave birth to the waffle sole and the bestselling running of America. He also paid 35 dollars approximately RM 152, to design a trademark for the company from a student. However, he was not pleased with the outcome; nerve last the design became the backbone for the advertising of Nike and now, a cultural phenomenon.
NASA worked with Nike to develop air-cushioned athletic shoes aside from their mundane space programs. Frank Rudy from NASA brought up the idea of bags filled with pressurized gas that compresses under impact to Nike. The bags will absorb shock and provide a cushion to the foot. The cushions placed on the soles of the Nike shoes and are still being used until now. 1976 started the celebrity endorsement from athletes with their branded running shoes in international televised events.
Now, the 2010s onward branded sportswear commonly seen on youngsters. Running shoes are not just stylish they are also comfortable to wear.
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