Kamis, 17 Februari 2011

Converse

1908–1941: Early days and Chuck Taylor

In his late 30s, Marquis Mill Converse, who was previously a respected manager at a footwear manufacturing firm, opened the Converse Rubber Shoe Company (completely unrelated to the Boston Rubber Shoe Company founded by fourth cousin Elisha Converse) in Malden, Massachusetts in 1908. The company was a rubber shoe manufacturer, providing winterized rubber soled footwear for men, women, and children. By 1910, Converse was producing 4,000 shoes daily, but it was not until 1915 that the company began manufacturing athletic shoes for tennis. The company's main turning point came in 1917 when the Converse All-Star basketball shoe was introduced. Then in 1921, a basketball player named Charles H. "Chuck" Taylor walked into Converse complaining of sore feet. Converse gave him a job. He worked as a salesman and ambassador, promoting the shoes around the United States, and in 1923 his signature was added to the All Star patch. He tirelessly continued this work until shortly before his death in 1969. Converse also customized shoes for the New York Renaissance (the "Rens"), the first all-African American professional basketball team.
[edit] 1941–Present: War, bankruptcy, and new management

When the USA entered World War II in 1941, Converse shifted production to manufacturing rubberized footwear, outerwear, and protective suits for the military. Widely popular during the 1950s and 1960s, Converse promoted a distinctly American image with its Converse Yearbook. Artist Charles Kerins created cover art that celebrated Converse's role in the lives of high school and college athletes. Through its shoes, Converse developed into an iconic brand, and came to be seen as the essential sports shoe. In the 1970's, Converse purchased the trademark rights to Jack Purcell sneakers from B.F. Goodrich.

Converse lost much of its apparent near-monopoly from the 1970s onward, with the surge of new competitors, including Puma and Adidas, then Nike, then a decade later Reebok, who introduced radical new designs to the market. Converse found themselves no longer the official shoe of the National Basketball Association, a title they had relished for many years. While being employed at Converse, one of its employees (Jim Labadini {1968-78}), created the chevron and star insignia / logo that still remains on most of the footwear items.

The loss of market share, combined with poor business decisions, forced Converse to file for bankruptcy on January 22, 2001. Footwear Acquisitions led by Mardsen Cason and Bill Simon purchased the brand from bankruptcy in April, 2001 and added industry partners Jack Boys, Jim Stroesser, Lisa Kempa and David Maddocks to lead the turnaround of America's Original Sports Company. The new team drove Converse from the 16th largest footwear company to number 7 in three years which led to a buyout by Nike Inc. for $305 million, qualifying as the merger and acquisition of the year in 2003.

On July 9, 2003, the company accepted a US$305 million purchase offer from rival Nike.

Current NBA players wearing Converse includeKirk Hinrich, Kyle Korver, Maurice Evans, Acie Law, Udonis Haslem, Elton Brand, Carlos Arroyo, Matt Bonner, Louis Williams, and Larry Sanders.

Several special editions of Converse shoes have been made, including DC Comics, The Ramones, AC/DC the Sailor Jerry, Metallica, The Clash, Grateful Dead, Ozzy Osbourne, Jimi Hendrix, and Nirvana, the Control, green, brown or camouflage edition. Three new designs were created for high tops, inspired by The Who. There is also a special collection released called 1Hund (red), where 15% of the profits are used to support HIV/AIDS relief. One hundred artists from around the world were chosen to create designs for the collection.

Sabtu, 05 Februari 2011

Reebok

Reebok International Limited, a subsidiary of the German sportswear company Adidas, is a producer of athletic footwear, apparel, and accessories. The name comes from the Afrikaans spelling of rhebok, a type of African antelope or gazelle. In 1890 in Holcombe Brook, a small village 6 miles north east of Bolton, England, Joseph William Foster was making a living producing regular running shoes when he came up with the idea to create a novelty spiked running shoe. After his ideas progressed he joined with his sons, and founded a shoe company named J.W. Foster and Sons in 1895.

In 1960, two of the founder's grandsons Joe and Jeff Foster renamed the company Reebok in England, having found the name in a dictionary won in a race by Joe Foster as a boy; the dictionary was South African edition hence the spelling. The company lived up to the J.W. Foster legacy, manufacturing first-class footwear for customers throughout the UK. In 1979, Paul Fireman, a US sporting goods distributor, saw a pair of Reeboks at an international trade show and negotiated to sell them in North America.

Supra Vaider (yellow)

Supra Vaider (yellow)
Skate boarding shoes

Campus 39 Hi Shoes

Campus 39 Hi Shoes
Men's adidas original

Metro Attitude XL Shoes

Metro Attitude XL Shoes
Men's adidas originals

Adidas AdiPure Snoop Dogg

Adidas AdiPure Snoop Dogg
Men's basketball shoes

Adidas Honey Hi Winter

Adidas Honey Hi Winter
Women's Adidas original shoes

Women’s adidas Sport TS Ace Commander Team Shoes

Women’s adidas Sport TS Ace Commander Team Shoes
Women's basketball shoes (Blue)

Women’s adidas Sport TS Ace Commander Team Shoes

Women’s adidas Sport TS Ace Commander Team Shoes
Women's basketball shoes

Adidas Black/white Women's pro model shoes

Adidas Black/white Women's pro model shoes
Women's basketball shoes

Dragon shoes

Dragon shoes
Mesn's original shoes

Adizero F50 Runner shoes

Adizero F50 Runner shoes
Men's running shoes

Adizero rose shoes

Adizero rose shoes
Men's basketball shoes

league basketball L speed2

league basketball L speed2
men's basket ball shoes

Adidas Mad Clima

Adidas Mad Clima
For men's basketball shoes

Nike kids Air max skyline

Nike kids Air max skyline
Kid's shoes

Nike air max Courtballistec 2.3

Nike air max Courtballistec 2.3
Men's Tennis shoes

Nike kids air max

Nike kids air max
Kid's shoes

Nike Air Max 2009

Nike Air Max 2009
Men's cross training shoes

Nike air max healthwalker

Nike air max healthwalker
Men's walking shoes

Nike air pegasus GX blue

Nike air pegasus GX blue
Walking shoes (Women)

Nike air pegaxus GX

Nike air pegaxus GX
Walking shoes (Women)

Nike air vitaliy

Nike air vitaliy
Walking shoes (Women)