Somewhere in the early, Zubaz-panted ‘90s, the sneaker lost its way.
Sneakerheads will tell you that was the golden era for kicks — the Jordan VI, pretty much every New Balance, etc. — but any decade that gave us the fustian charms of the Reebok Pump and basically turned sneaks into Mike and Ike-colored Moon Boots deserves little praise.
Here’s a new sneaker company that does: Greats, promising to reinterpret the “greatest sneaker silhouettes” of all time (i.e., not the ‘90s).
Just launched online by a couple of savvy footwear vets, Greats is focusing on simple lines, low prices and high styling.
Their debutants:
The Wilson (named for Adrian Wilson, the Pro Bowl safety/angel investor), a deerskin leather, top-cap-vulcanized shoe in cardinal red or white ($59).
The Royale, a classic tennis silhouette that the founder of Greats says they’ve “gone HAM on in terms of materials.” Think deerskin leather and American vachetta calf lining on an Italian margam rubber cup sole ($99).
And there are more in the works: trail runners, boat shoes, camp moccasins, slip-ons.
But thankfully, no Crocs.
Or pumps.
This article was featured in the InsideHook newsletter. Sign up now.
