Back Page LAST KICK
SNEAKER
PEAK
From basketball and tennis courts to
sidewalks and skate parks, here's a look
at the most iconic sneakers to step into
the game over the last century.CONVERSE ALL STARS
Widely popular with top
basketballers a century ago,
the iconic All Stars still enjoy
high street cred today.
ADID
STAN S H
Adidas d
the wo
leather tennis shoes,
which were endorsed
by US champ
Stan Smith.ADIDAS
GAZELLE
Th e next retro
phenomenon to
follow the Stan
Smiths, favoured by
the likes of Oasis and
Kate Moss in the ’90s.ONITSUKA TIGER
Th ese were the fi rst shoes to
feature the famous tiger stripes,
and were worn at the Mexico
Olympic Games in 1968.PUMA SUEDE
Th e tough suede used in
this shoe was a popular
step away from typical
leather- and canvas-
based shoes of the day.ADIDAS SUPERSTAR
Within a few years of their
launch, the shell-toed
Superstars were worn by
75 per cent of NBA stars.VANS OLD SKOOL
Th e fi rst American shoe to
b d d exclusively with
k b ders in mind.SUPERGA
PANATTA
Italian tennis ace
Adriano Panatta
wore these when
he won the French
O 6.NEW BALANCE 990
After many years in development,
the 990s launched as the industry’s
most innovative running shoes.
REEBOK PUMP
Th e Pump was the fi rst shoe to
boast an internal infl ation
mechanism for a snugger fi t.NIKE AIR MAX
Th e Air Max was re-released
this year, and still features the
original Visible Air system.
NIKE AIR MAX 97
With its refl ective
fl uid lines and shiny
silver tone, this shoe
was inspired by
Japan’s bullet trains
and remains
a head-turner.NIKE SHOX
Th ese top secret
hi-tech kicks were
available as R4
(running) BB4
(basketball) and
XTR (cross-training).GERMAN ARMY TRAINERS
Used by German soldiers for fi tness
training in the ’30s, these sneakers
remain a popular design style.112 GQ.CO.ZA OCTOBER 2017
WORDS BY MICHAEL SALZWEDEL1917
1936
96
1965
1966
1968
9 3
1976
1969
19811982
1987
1989
1997
2000
SAUCONY JAZZ
A cult favourite among female
runners in the ’80s, the Jazz is
still Saucony’s best-selling model.