Reebok, despite being at the forefront of sneaker news in the early 2000s, is rarely talked about nowadays. Sneakerheads have moved onto the newer, bigger brands, such as Nike and Adidas. Even though sneakerheads don’t acknowledge the brand, Reebok is a classic amongst the community. The brand attracts celebrities such as Jay Z, 50 Cent, and Rick Ross and has accomplished a ton in the world of sports.
Reebok was founded as J.W. Foster and Sons in 1895 by J.W. Foster and his sons in Bolton, England. Five years prior, J.W. Foster began producing and selling regular running shoes in Tottington, laying the groundwork for the company he and his family would soon start. J.W. Foster and Sons initially found success by creating a simple running shoe. After the company focused on these types of shoes and athleisure, they quickly also find a fair amount of success when British athletes began wearing J.W. Foster & Sons shoes at the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics. Later in 1958, Foster’s grandsons, Joe and Jeff Foster, formed the company Reebok, which took the place of J.W. Foster & Sons.
Reebok was noticed by businessman Paul Fireman at the 1979 Chicago International Sneaker Trade show. Fireman worked out a deal that allowed Reebok to be distributed in the United States as the Reebok USA Ltd. division. Three years later, Reebok debuted their Reebok Freestyle shoe, which was the first athletic shoe designed for women. This helped propel the brand further into fame, with Gin Miller becoming one of the faces of Reebok and sales rising to $13M the next year. In the mid-80s, the brand began to license deals with athletes in the NFL as well as the NBA. In 1989, the company debuted their Reebok Pumps (worn by NBA players Dominique Wilkins, Shaquille O’Neal, and actor Omar Epps).
In 1998, Carl Yankowski was named President & CEO of Reebok. Although he had replaced Robert Myers as President, his position wouldn’t last long. Chairman Paul Fireman took over Yankowski’s position a year later after he accepted an executive position somewhere else.
The 2000s was a successful decade for the brand, partnering with more athletes and expanding even more. In fact, Venus Williams signed with Reebok after she won her singles titles at the 2000 Summer Olympics. Once December came, the brand signed a 10-year licensing agreement with the NFL, granting them the exclusive rights to manufacture and sell NFL merchandise. In 2001, Reebok became the exclusive outfitter for 29 NBA teams! During that same year, Jay Margolis was named President & COO. Three years later, the brand became the official uniform and apparel provider for the Canadian Football League, which helped further solidify Reebok’s presence in sports. Once they were truly established as a sportswear brand in 2005, Adidas acquired Reebok as a subsidiary. This garnered yet another change as Paul Harrington took over the President & CEO positions in 2006.
During the mid-2000s, Reebok’s popularity surged within the rap community with the likes of Jay Z and 50 Cent supporting the brand. In the 2010s, the brand generated a fair amount of attention for itself once again by announcing a partnership with CrossFit (during the beginning of the decade) and a partnership with the group training and fitness program, Les Mills (just three years later). In 2014, they signed with Kendrick Lamar as well as inking a six-year deal with UFC in December of the same year. Recently, the company signed with Future in 2016 and have been fairly moderate in the sneaker community. The brand is preparing to release the Reebok Instapump Fury in the OG Citron colorway as a celebration of the “Pump’s” 25th anniversary. The shoe is on track for a March 22 to release and will work to keep Reebok on par with other athletic brands around it.
Although Reebok is not discussed as much as its competitor brands, the company still is a contender amongst them offering quality shoes and other products for fair prices. From 1890s Britain to 21st Century America, Reebok has come a long way by introducing innovative shoes for men, women as well as athletes, signing with big businesses, artists, and leagues, and working to expand its products. Reebok continues to work hard, releasing shoes and working with others regularly. This will for sure continue to result in their success for years to come.[/vc_column_text]