The Sports Shoe

"Meticulously researched and beautifully produced." Times Literary Supplement

"A big and beautiful book." Journal of British Studies

"A definitive history of the sports shoe." Amber Butchart, fashion historian

"A necessary book [and] a great read." Samuel Smallidge, Archivist, Converse

"Both educational and entertaining." Scene Point Blank



The story of the sneaker's rise from the first Victorian tennis shoes to the Nike Air Max and beyond.



Moving from the athletic field to the shopping mall, Thomas Turner tells a fresh story of the evolution of the sports shoe against the changing landscape of society, sport, fashion, industry, and technology. The Sports Shoe takes us on a journey from the first Victorian tennis shoes to the sneaker of today, to the adidas Superstar and the innovative technologies of Nike Air Max. Featuring newly uncovered archival material and historic images showcasing key personalities, vintage marketing and common perceptions of this hugely desirable product, this book is a must-have for any sneaker collector, historian of popular culture, or anyone interested in the place of athletic footwear in our lives today.