Take a Quick Refresher on the History of Sneaker Culture

Sneakers are so pervasive in the mainstream nowadays, that it’s easy to forget the close to one century of history behind what we know today as the sneaker. GQ was kind enough to put together a full documentary series titled Sneakerheadz, beginning with the above video that covers everything from the birth of the term “sneaker” in 1917, through the development of Converse and the introduction of leather and suede sneakers in the ’70s, to the popularization of sneakers in hip-hop culture thanks to Run-D.M.C.’s track “My adidas,” and ending in today’s melding of high fashion with movies, street culture, skateboarding and rap. Enjoy the video above, and find the rest of the series here.