You could be forgiven if upon receiving a gift of the new book Sneakers by Rodrigo Corral, Alex French, and Howie Kahn, to think that it is a fresh, new box of its namesake. Yet open it up and you’ll discover so much more. With interviews from Ronnie Fieg of Kith fame, Virgil Abloh of Off-White, Daniel Bailer, DJ Clark Kent, Serena Williams, Alexander Wang, Kober Bryant, and a whole bunch more, you’ll journey through the world of the world’s most popular shoes.
Sneakers brings its own element of swagger, painting a picture of not only fashion but personal and private culture sustained through generations of designers, storytellers, artists, and athletes. It is the definitive guide for sneaker heads of all ages — the 320 glossy pages of photos and interviews highlight the $85 billion a year industry.
Edson Sabajo, the owner of Amsterdam’s Patta sneaker boutique takes readers on a hunt that begins in the back alleys of Philadelphia and extends to the streets of the Middle East. Jeff Staple, who designed a pair of $6,000 sneakers reminisces about the splash they made in Manhattan. While Jim Riswold gives readers a behind the scenes look at making Air Jordan commercials with Michael Jordan. Adidas’s own Rachel Muscat and Jon Wexler wax philosophical about working with Kanye West. And Nike’s celebrated Tinker Hatfield predicts the future of shoe design.
This is all rolled into an incredible package designed by Rodrigo Corral. With its breathtaking cover, thoughtful contents and depth of first-person interviews, this is the book for anyone who loves sneakers, design, creativity, street culture, branding, entrepreneurship, art, and fashion.