Sneaker History Podcast - Sneakers, Sneaker Culture and the Business of Footwear

Sneaker History - Retrospect Podcasts
  • 4.8 (200)
  • Society & Culture
  • Weekly

Nearly 600,000 downloads and still here! A show about sneakers for sneakerheads, by sneakerheads. We're not here to bring people down or play gatekeeper, we are here to show the positive side of sneakers and connect with like-minded sneaker enthusiasts. We talk about sneakers and the footwear industry, interview footwear industry professionals, designers, and creatives who share our passion for sneakers. To advertise to our audience: podcast@sneakerhistory.com A part of the Retrospect Podcast Network. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

  1. 20h ago

    John Wall's First NBA Game: A Reebok Signature Shoe on Day One

    16 years ago, on October 28, 2010, John Wall played his first NBA game on opening night at Orlando's brand new Amway Center, and he walked in with his own signature shoe already on his feet: the Reebok Zig Slash, built on ZigTech. In this episode, Nick Engvall tells the story: one season for John Calipari at Kentucky, the Wizards' 10.3% lottery jump, the Reebok deal, his debut, the record-setting weeks that followed, my John Wall "Beyond The Gold" Reebok player edition, and the First Game Score out of 10. Watch the video version with the photos and the First Game Score: https://youtu.be/Gce5_PQDe9c First Game: Derrick Rose and the adidas TS Creator: https://youtu.be/Nqi_mBmYI2M First Game: LeBron James and the Air Zoom Generation: https://youtu.be/iv4Eis0cZeg The Sneaker Newsletter: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.com/ The Sneaker History newsletter: https://news.sneakerhistory.com/ My book, Small Luxuries: Sneakers: https://bookshop.org/a/122044/9798317900854 Everything Sneaker History in one place: https://sneakerhistory.com/links Tell someone you like their kicks today. You never know how far a compliment will take you. And we all know how good it feels to be on the receiving end of some appreciation. SUPPORT THE SHOW: Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvall Early Access, Exclusive Videos, and Content On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory Subscribe on Substack: https://substack.com/@sneakerhistory Join our Discord Community: https://discord.gg/xJFyWmWgza If you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.com CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS: For the Formula 1 Fans - Exhaust Notes: https://exhaustnotes.fm For the Fitted Hat Fans - Crown and Stitch: https://crownandstitch.com For the Cars & Sneakers Fans - Cars & Kicks: https://carsxkicks.com For the Creators & Creatives - Outside The Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/outside-the-box-convos-with-creators/id1050172106 [Links contain affiliate links; we may receive a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. A great way to support the pod!] —––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—–––– Our podcast is proudly... Recorded on Riverside: http://www.riverside.fm/?via=sneakerhistory Hosted & Distributed By Captivate: https://bit.ly/3j2muPb GET IN TOUCH: Robbie - robbie@sneakerhistory.com Mike - mike@sneakerhistory.com Rohit - rohit@sneakerhistory.com Nick - nick@sneakerhistory.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

    John Wall's First NBA Game: A Reebok Signature Shoe on Day One

  2. 2d ago

    Derrick Rose's First NBA Game: The adidas TS Creator Nobody Remembers

    18 years ago, on October 28, 2008, Derrick Rose played his first NBA game at the United Center in Chicago, and he didn't play it in a signature shoe. He played it in an adidas TS Creator player edition, Bulls white and red. In this episode, Nick Engvall tells the story: the 2008 Memphis run in adidas, the 1.7% lottery that sent a kid from Englewood to his hometown team, his debut against the Bucks, the shoe almost nobody remembers, and its First Game Score out of 10. Plus my own Memphis player edition adidas TS Pro Model, straight from the very first Sneaker Storage trip. Watch the video version with the photos and the First Game Score: https://youtu.be/Nqi_mBmYI2M First Game: LeBron James and the Air Zoom Generation: https://youtu.be/iv4Eis0cZeg The Sneaker Newsletter: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.com/ The Sneaker History newsletter: https://news.sneakerhistory.com/ My book, Small Luxuries: Sneakers: https://bookshop.org/a/122044/9798317900854 Everything Sneaker History in one place: https://sneakerhistory.com/links Tell someone you like their kicks today. You never know how far a compliment will take you. And we all know how good it feels to be on the receiving end of some appreciation. SUPPORT THE SHOW: Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvall Early Access, Exclusive Videos, and Content On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory Subscribe on Substack: https://substack.com/@sneakerhistory Join our Discord Community: https://discord.gg/xJFyWmWgza If you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.com CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS: For the Formula 1 Fans - Exhaust Notes: https://exhaustnotes.fm For the Fitted Hat Fans - Crown and Stitch: https://crownandstitch.com For the Cars & Sneakers Fans - Cars & Kicks: https://carsxkicks.com For the Creators & Creatives - Outside The Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/outside-the-box-convos-with-creators/id1050172106 [Links contain affiliate links; we may receive a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. A great way to support the pod!] —––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—–––– Our podcast is proudly... Recorded on Riverside: http://www.riverside.fm/?via=sneakerhistory Hosted & Distributed By Captivate: https://bit.ly/3j2muPb GET IN TOUCH: Robbie - robbie@sneakerhistory.com Mike - mike@sneakerhistory.com Rohit - rohit@sneakerhistory.com Nick - nick@sneakerhistory.com Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

    Derrick Rose's First NBA Game: The adidas TS Creator Nobody Remembers

  3. 2d ago

    LeBron James' First NBA Game Wasn't in the "First Game": The Air Zoom Generation Story

    23 years ago, on October 29, 2003, LeBron James played his first NBA game at Arco Arena against my Sacramento Kings, and he wasn't wearing the shoe Nike calls the "First Game." In this episode, Nick Engvall tells the real story of the Nike Air Zoom Generation: the $90 million rookie deal, Aaron Cooper and the design team, the Hummer H2 theory, the colorway that actually debuted on his feet, and why the "First Game" pair is really from his first home game a week later. Plus a sidebar from my own career: in 2017 at StockX we partnered with Nike to bring back the very first Air Zoom Generation retro, boxed in pieces of the Cavaliers' 2016 championship court. Watch the video version with the photos, the design sketches and the game footage: https://youtu.be/iv4Eis0cZeg Rocky Widner's photo from that night: https://www.instagram.com/p/CzAwplHOYgM/ Nike Air Zoom Generation, the complete history: https://sneakerhistory.com/nike-air-zoom-generation-complete-history/ 15 Nike Air Zoom Generation facts you didn't know: https://sneakerhistory.com/nike-air-zoom-generation-facts/ The Sneaker Newsletter: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.com/ My book, Small Luxuries: Sneakers: https://bookshop.org/a/122044/9798317900854 Everything Sneaker History in one place: https://sneakerhistory.com/links Tell someone you like their kicks today. You never know how far a compliment will take you. And we all know how good it feels to be on the receiving end of some appreciation. SUPPORT THE SHOW: Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvall Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory If you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.com CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS: For the Formula 1 Fans - Exhaust Notes: https://exhaustnotes.fm For the Fitted Hat Fans - Crown and Stitch: https://crownandstitch.com For the Cars & Sneakers Fans - Cars & Kicks: https://carsxkicks.com For the Creators & Creatives - Outside The Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/outside-the-box-convos-with-creators/id1050172106 [Links contain affiliate links; we may receive a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. A great way to support the pod!] Our podcast is proudly... Recorded on Riverside: http://www.riverside.fm/?via=sneakerhistory Hosted & Distributed By Captivate: https://bit.ly/3j2muPb Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

    LeBron James' First NBA Game Wasn't in the "First Game": The Air Zoom Generation Story

  4. 4d ago

    Michael Jordan's First NBA Game: The Real "Banned" Story

    42 years ago, on October 26, 1984, Michael Jordan played his first NBA game, and he wasn't wearing Air Jordans. In this episode, Nick Engvall tells the real story of the "Banned" Air Jordan 1: the Nike Air Ship Jordan actually wore, the NBA letter dated October 18, 1984, the "devil colors" quote nobody can source, and the 1985 Nike newsletter line that says the shoes were never banned at all. From the 1985 commercial to the $1.47 million game-worn Air Ships at Sotheby's, the 2011 outlet "Banned" release, Unbanned (2018) and Air (2023), here's how one shoe became the most famous rule breaker in sneaker history. Watch the video version with the photos, the commercial and the game footage: https://www.youtube.com/@NickatSneakerHistory The full Air Jordan 1 story on SneakerHistory.com: https://sneakerhistory.com/air-jordan-1-history-lesson/ The Sneaker Newsletter: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.com/ My book, Small Luxuries: Sneakers: https://bookshop.org/a/122044/9798317900854 Everything Sneaker History in one place: https://sneakerhistory.com/links Sources: the 1985 Nike employee newsletter via CLLCT (https://www.cllct.com/sports-collectibles/memorabilia/nike-internal-newsletter-sheds-new-light-on-banned-air-jordan-1s); Sports Illustrated, December 10, 1984; Sotheby's, October 2021. Tell someone you like their kicks today. You never know how far a compliment will take you. And we all know how good it feels to be on the receiving end of some appreciation. SUPPORT THE SHOW: Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvall Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory If you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.com CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS: For the Formula 1 Fans - Exhaust Notes: https://exhaustnotes.fm For the Fitted Hat Fans - Crown and Stitch: https://crownandstitch.com For the Cars & Sneakers Fans - Cars & Kicks: https://carsxkicks.com For the Creators & Creatives - Outside The Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/outside-the-box-convos-with-creators/id1050172106 [Links contain affiliate links; we may receive a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. A great way to support the pod!] —––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—–––– Our podcast is proudly... Recorded on Riverside: http://www.riverside.fm/?via=sneakerhistory Hosted & Distributed By Captivate: https://bit.ly/3j2muPb Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

    Michael Jordan's First NBA Game: The Real "Banned" Story

  5. Oct 20

    Matt from Corporate: Our Memories Become Our Movement

    SUPPORT THE SHOW: Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvall Early Access, Exclusive Videos, and Content On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory Subscribe on Substack: https://substack.com/@sneakerhistory Join our Discord Community: https://discord.gg/xJFyWmWgza If you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.com CHECK OUT OUR OTHER SHOWS: For the Formula 1 Fans - Exhaust Notes: https://exhaustnotes.fm For the Fitted Hat Fans - Crown and Stitch: https://crownandstitch.com For the Cars & Sneakers Fans - Cars & Kicks: https://carsxkicks.com For the Creators & Creatives - Outside The Box: https://podcasts.apple.com/id/podcast/outside-the-box-convos-with-creators/id1050172106 [Links contain affiliate links; we may receive a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. A great way to support the pod!] —––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—––––—–––– Our podcast is proudly... Recorded on Riverside: http://www.riverside.fm/?via=sneakerhistory Hosted & Distributed By Captivate: https://bit.ly/3j2muPb On this episode of Coffee Time Kicks, Mike Guillory sits down with Matt Tomamichel, owner of Corporate, the sneaker shop in Cincinnati and Indianapolis. Matt was born into it: Bulls games on WGN every night, the mall, Foot Action, an unpaid internship at Status in Minneapolis, and finally opening his own door. Mike and Matt get into why the shop is called Corporate, how retail lost the plot with too many releases, retros versus game shoes and the AJ16, signature shoes and Anthony Edwards, why you don’t have to own everything, Foot Locker as the sneaker church, selling the add-on like the old days, Vans, and Matt’s dream Jordan 6 with neon laces. “Our memories become our movement.” Follow Matt on Instagram: @m.tomamichel Follow Corporate on Instagram: @corporategotem Watch the full episode on https://www.youtube.com/c/MikeGuillory CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome to Coffee Time Kicks 1:06 Born into it: the Bulls, MJ and the mall 2:31 Foot Action, Status and opening Corporate 3:54 Fifteen years in Cincinnati, then Indianapolis 5:40 Community over hype after COVID 8:30 Why the shop is called Corporate 11:17 Bigger than sneakers 13:52 Too many releases and who's accountable 19:56 Retros, game shoes and the AJ16 22:20 Signature shoes and Anthony Edwards 25:17 Cultural moments, influencers and seeding 29:46 You don't have to own everything 34:56 Foot Locker, the sneaker church 38:45 Segmentation and the race to the bottom 41:48 Selling the add-on: how the shops stay competitive 45:21 Vans and Nike's next runner 49:26 Keep sneakers in perspective 52:46 The Jordan 6 neon laces dream 55:14 Where to find Matt and Corporate Music: "Conspire" via mobygratis.com Tell someone you like their kicks today. You never know how far a compliment will take you. And we all know how good it feels to be on the receiving end of some appreciation. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

    Matt from Corporate: Our Memories Become Our Movement

  6. Sep 29

    Kader Sylla Built a Skate Shoe for Twenty Stairs | Coffee Time Kicks

    What does it mean to have your own signature sneaker? For adidas Skateboarding pro Kader Sylla, it's a trip. Kader joins Mike Guillory on Coffee Time Kicks to break down his adidas signature skate shoe, from the first conversations to the details most people will never notice. He wanted a slightly pointier toe for flick, and a split toe you rarely see on skate shoes anymore. Most of all, he wanted a shoe he could jump down a twenty stair in and still feel fine the next day. That led to cushioning that runs through the entire sole instead of just the heel, which Kader says hasn't been done on an adidas before. They also get into the lacing system that tucks laces inside the shoe so they don't rip, the metallic sparkle hidden in the purple stripes, the snakeskin-style black and yellow second colorway, and what it's meant to share all of it with his family. Follow Kader: @laterkader Subscribe to Mike: @mikeguillory Links to everything: https://sneakerhistory.com/links/ This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

    Kader Sylla Built a Skate Shoe for Twenty Stairs | Coffee Time Kicks

  7. Sep 27

    Why a Footwear Designer Started Making Knives

    Rick Maderis has spent more than twenty years inside adidas, Nike, Jordan Brand and Curry Brand, working on the graphics, color and storytelling that rarely get a name attached. Now he runs Burnside Knives in Portland, and you can see the sneaker brain in every piece. Rick and I played phone tag for close to a year before this happened, and it was worth the wait. We talk about the fire drills that end up producing better work, tilting the adidas trefoil fifteen degrees and hearing about it, why retros carry more pressure than new shoes, the Doernbecher Air Jordan 15, and asking whether you're the right person for a project before you say yes. Then it's knives: how a sneaker graphic designer ended up with KNIVES on his license plate, why the handle is a magma grip and not elephant print, and the Lost Lake Easter egg hidden in the Cabrillo 2. CHAPTERS 00:00 Coming up: the Doernbecher kid, and the other side of the river 00:30 Why this conversation took a year 01:57 The conversation starts 03:39 A coloring book and a grandfather 03:57 Art school to adidas, Jordan and Curry Brand 06:27 Is getting moved around good or bad for creatives? 10:46 Big brands vs small teams: who actually does the work 12:35 Fire drills and better work 17:41 Redrawing a grail Jordan pattern from scratch 20:26 Jason Mayden: make them feel something 22:11 Tilting the trefoil 15 degrees 25:13 Sharpening every single edge 26:24 Breaking the Jordan formula 30:26 Why kids should watch the WNBA 36:34 CCS, 5 a.m. phones and skate catalogs 38:47 The Doernbecher Air Jordan 15 43:12 Lewis Latimer, Bruce Lee, and asking first 47:37 Why heritage collections get cut first 50:50 How he got into PENSOLE 55:24 Leaks, mockups and Easter at the drugstore 1:01:08 How Burnside Knives started 1:04:20 Why it's called Burnside 1:07:15 KNIVES on the license plate 1:09:45 Making something that outlives us 1:14:14 Magma grip, not elephant print 1:20:50 The Lost Lake Easter egg 1:26:00 Sneakers made us better storytellers 1:33:02 Where to find Rick FIND RICK Rick's work: https://www.rickmaderis.com Burnside Knives: https://burnsideknives.com Instagram: @maderis and @burnsideknives His eyewear side project, IIVNI: https://iivni.com MORE FROM ME Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NickatSneakerHistory The Sneaker Newsletter: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.com Sneaker History: https://sneakerhistory.com My first book, Small Luxuries: Sneakers, out October 2026: https://bookshop.org/a/122044/9798317900854 Rick sent me the Burnside knife we talk about in this episode. Full video coming soon on the YouTube channel. Tell someone you like their kicks today. You never know how far a compliment will take you. And we all know how good it feels to be on the receiving end of some appreciation. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

    Why a Footwear Designer Started Making Knives

  8. Aug 27

    The Air Jordan 41... "You Never Really Finish an Air Jordan, You Just Run Out of Time" - Jason Mayden

    Jason Mayden walked into Jordan Brand in 2001 as its first design intern. He designed the Air Jordan 2009 and the Jordan CP3.II, left in 2014 to build his own companies, and came back a decade later to run design for the entire brand. This past May he stepped out of that job into one that did not exist until he took it, VP of Jordan Visioneering and LA28 Creative Lead. We talked about the Air Jordan 41, and about almost everything except the spec sheet. He explains what he had to unpack coming back into the building, and lands on the line that frames the whole conversation, that this is a reverential era and not a referential one. He responds to what Leo Chang and Donald Kelsey found on the road this year, six months of research across three continents where not one young athlete asked for the heritage colors. He makes the case that the women's game is where the next real change in basketball footwear comes from, and explains why he studies technical boxing to think about design. He talks about the Air Jordan XX3 and working alongside Mark Smith, Tinker Hatfield, and Tom Foxen when the fight was over solvent free glue. He talks about the crew building the game shoe now, and what it was like to watch them come into their own. He talks about criticism, and why indifference is the only reaction that would bother him. And he tells the story of being seven years old in a hospital bed, fighting a blood infection, imagining himself as Lucius Fox working for Michael Jordan, who he thought was Bruce Wayne. That is where the word visioneering comes from. One line from this conversation has stayed with me since we recorded it. You never really finish an Air Jordan, you just run out of time. Nick Engvall has worked in the sneaker industry for over two decades. He built the original Eastbay Blog during his time at Sole Collector, led the first dedicated sneaker team for Complex, led the first UGC and seeding programs for Finish Line, was employee number 9 at StockX, and was Sr. Director at Stadium Goods. The Sneaker Newsletter: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.comSole Collector: https://www.solecollector.orgSmall Luxuries: Sneakers, out October 2026 from Motorbooks: https://bookshop.org/a/122044/9798317900854 SUPPORT THE SHOW: Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/nickengvall Support On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory If you are interested in advertising to our audience, contact us: podcast@sneakerhistory.com [Links contain affiliate links; we may receive a small commission if you purchase after clicking a link. A great way to support the pod!] Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

    The Air Jordan 41... "You Never Really Finish an Air Jordan, You Just Run Out of Time" - Jason Mayden
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Nearly 600,000 downloads and still here! A show about sneakers for sneakerheads, by sneakerheads. We're not here to bring people down or play gatekeeper, we are here to show the positive side of sneakers and connect with like-minded sneaker enthusiasts. We talk about sneakers and the footwear industry, interview footwear industry professionals, designers, and creatives who share our passion for sneakers. To advertise to our audience: podcast@sneakerhistory.com A part of the Retrospect Podcast Network. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Spotify Ad Analytics - https://www.spotify.com/us/legal/ad-analytics-privacy-policy/

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