‘Soled Out’: A Collection Of Vintage Sneaker Print Ads Celebrating An Iconic Era
Image via Phaidon and featured with permission
A collaboration between publishing house Phaidon and Sneaker Freaker magazine has seen the creation of SOLED OUT: The Golden Age of Sneaker Advertising: a massive 720-page book showcasing and celebrating vintage sneaker print advertisements in all their nostalgic glory.
Created as a “celebration of the rubber, leather and mesh we wear on our feet,” the book is described as “an analysis of key moments that include the embrace of pseudo-science, the auto-erotic obsession, the ubiquity of the Futura typeface, and the evolution of the cross-trainer craze.”
Image via Phaidon and featured with permission
Most of the material has been sourced by the magazine’s “bossman,” Simon “Woody” Wood, from between the 1970s to the turn of the millennium, but there is one chapter focused on Converse in the 1930s.
His efforts going through flea markets and eBay have come to fruition in this collection of print, which becomes increasingly precious in a rapidly digitized world.
Feast your eyes on 900 throwback advertisements from well-known brands such as Converse, Adidas, Nike, PUMA, Reebok, and New Balance. There are even Michael Jordan’s iconic campaigns and Larry Bird’s unforgettable Converse Weapon endorsements.
Image via Phaidon and featured with permission
Sneaker advertisements are so special because of the “unapologetic” nature of their designers. “From the scientific to the political—and the hilariously risqué—no subject was off-limits,” writes Phaidon.
Brands’ signature slogans, like Nike’s “Just Do It,” are splashed across the pages. But clap-backs from rival brands, like ASICS’ “Just Doing It Doesn’t Do It,” provide an insight into the witty competition that defined the sneaker industry of the time.
Of course, the graphics, imagery, and typography across the 13 brand-focused chapters are beautifully resonant with their time, yet managing to look like they could still fit into today’s campaigns.
The book “isn’t just a tribute to the evolution of athletic footwear,” the magazine explains. “It’s also long overdue props for the army of creatives that laid the groundwork for a multi-billion dollar business.”
SOLED OUT: The Golden Age of Sneaker Advertising will be available for US$69.95 and can now be pre-ordered on Phaidon’s website. There’s also a limited edition of the book: this boasts a denim-inspired blue cover, riding the high of its contents’ retro aesthetic.
Image via Phaidon and featured with permission
Coming Soon: SOLED OUT is written and assembled by Sneaker Freaker. Published by @Phaidon. On sale October 20. #soledout #soledoutbook https://t.co/nNqFZ63VT7 pic.twitter.com/LrkDnOCg2G
— Sneaker Freaker (@snkrfrkrmag) September 21, 2021
[via Phaidon and featured with permission]
Also check out these recent news
