[Snickers Rhapsody]① 'Icon of the Era'... Why Are People Enthralled by Sneakers?

Shoes with Rubber Soles, a Symbol of Culture and Era 'Sneakers'
From Subculture to Luxury, the Legendary Air Jordan Series Also in the Spotlight
'Sneakers Unboxed Seoul' Exhibition Until September 10

Ancient Greeks are said to have enjoyed barefoot running races. To create an environment suitable for barefoot running, humanity laid expensive fine sand on the stadiums. In modern times, to run on rough ground or tracks, shoes with rubber soles were invented.

On the afternoon of the 30th, the Sneakers Unboxed Seoul press tour was held at the Sejong Art Museum in Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The world tour exhibition of the design object 'Sneakers' by the London Design Museum will continue until September 10. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The sandshoe 'Plimsoll' introduced by the Liverpool Rubber Company in the 1830s became the prototype of sneakers. After World War I, as leisure sports gained popularity and rubber-soled shoes became a craze, the meaning of sneakers expanded. In 1892, the U.S. Rubber Company, the predecessor of Keds, began mass production of rubber-soled shoes, forming the market, and Adidas and Converse joined the ranks. In the 1950s, as sports became part of everyday life, people of all ages started wearing sneakers in daily life. In the 1980s, with marketing featuring sports stars and the entry of major fashion brands, sneakers reached their heyday. This trend has continued steadily for 40 years to the present.

Sneakers, which evolved from products applying new technologies to functional items and then to icons of fashion and culture, have now established themselves as symbols representing the identity of a generation. The global footwear market size is estimated to reach $530.3 billion (approximately 701.5869 trillion KRW) by 2027, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5% from 2020. The domestic sneaker market exceeds 4 trillion KRW, accounting for more than half of the total footwear market (about 6.7 trillion KRW). As the influence of sneakers expands, various attempts to understand and analyze the overall culture surrounding them are being made.

1937 Keds sneakers advertisement image. In 1892, U.S. Rubber Company, the predecessor of Keds, began mass-producing rubber-soled shoes, marking the beginning of the sneaker market.
[Photo by Keds]

About 1.2 billion sneakers are sold worldwide annually, attracting audiences with photos, videos, catalogs, and an exhibition of around 400 sneakers. The exhibition interpreting culture through sneakers, 'Sneakers Unboxed Seoul,' will be held from the 31st to September 10th at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Galleries 1 and 2.

Rigaia Salazar, an independent curator who came to Korea for the 'Sneakers Unboxed Seoul' exhibition, explained the planning intent: “Starting from interpreting sneakers as a design object, we aimed to offer a new perspective on street culture formed by the stories of each sneaker.”

The exhibition is a world tour by the London Design Museum, renowned globally in the design field. Starting with the first 'Sneakers Unboxed' exhibition held in London, UK, in 2021, it continued through Den Bosch, Netherlands, Taipei, Taiwan, and now Seoul. The exhibition centers on people, focusing on stories surrounding sneaker designers and key wearers, deeply exploring the entire sneaker culture.

Held on the largest scale ever, this exhibition consists of about 700 to 800 objects, including various rare sneakers and photos, videos, and catalogs that help understand sneaker culture. Unlike previous tours, the Seoul exhibition features 'Our Wall,' a wall made up of 364 collections provided by Korean sneaker collectors, capturing the attention of sneaker enthusiasts.

The Air Jordan 1, made in 1985. Since its release, Air Jordans have become more than just shoes; they have become cultural icons. The sneakers in the photo were worn and signed by Michael Jordan, and in a Sotheby's auction in 2020, they set the record for the highest price ever paid for basketball shoes at $560,000 (approximately 690 million KRW).
[Photo by Sotheby's]

The Nike Air Jordan collection of 37 pairs, only viewable at the Seoul exhibition, is also a hot topic. Additionally, the 'Nike x Jeff Staple Nike Dunk SB Low Staple NYC Pigeon,' which caused social upheaval when people rioted to buy the shoes at launch, and 'The Ten' series, where the late Virgil Abloh, founder of Off-White and known as the 'Renaissance Man of Fashion,' recreated 10 iconic Nike sneakers, are also on display.

Also showcased is the 'Satan' sneaker, co-produced by the Brooklyn-based creator group MISCHIEF and American rapper Lil Nas X. 'Satan' was made by inserting a drop of human blood into the sole of Nike's Air Max 97 model, sparking controversy. Nike filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against MISCHIEF at the time. Alongside this, other limited edition sneakers such as 'Jesus,' made with holy water drawn from the Jordan River, sneakers made from fibers used in Mars rover airbags, and sneakers banned in athletics due to technology doping issues can also be seen firsthand.

On the afternoon of the 30th, the Sneakers Unboxed Seoul press tour was held at the Sejong Art Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The world tour exhibition of the design object 'Sneakers' by the London Design Museum will continue until September 10. [Image source=Yonhap News]

Curator Rigaia Salazar stated, "Along with the history of sneakers, we wanted to showcase how sneakers have served as a style representing the identity of multiple generations and as a cultural core, and how they will evolve in the future."

It is also noteworthy that this exhibition, which surveys the history and culture of sneakers that started as a subculture and became a symbol of eras and generations, is held at the Sejong Museum of Art, known for many classic exhibitions. Ahn Ho-sang, president of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, said, “This exhibition is very exciting as it shows that sneakers, an essential item in our daily lives, are art,” adding, “Through various meaningful exhibitions for many visitors, we will continue to expand the realm of art and communicate with the public.”