Playground

Basketball shoe, tennis shoe, trainer or sneaker, regardless of the name, they have influenced the way we live, and the way we dress, since the early 20th century. Worn by millions of people the world over, sneakers have, in just a few decades, become a mass-market product that transcends gender, age, and social and cultural background. But how did a simple sports shoe make the leap from the pitch to become a genuine fashion accessory or even a piece of art? With over 600 pairs, films, archive documents, photos and personal accounts, this book presents all the facets of this iconic object, from its success with New York breakdancers to the cutting-edge technological research that goes on with that.

Text in English and French.

About the Authors

Constance Rubini is curator of the exhibition Playground – The design of sneakers and director of the madd-bordeaux.

Etienne Tornier is assistant curator of the exhibition Playground — The design of sneakers and curator in charge of the 19th to 21st century collection at the madd-bordeaux.

Marie-Christine Vernay is a French journalist and critique, she is specialised in contemporary dance. She worked for several years for the newspaper Liberation. She is the cofounder in 2015 of the online cultural review Dlibere.

Thibaut de Longeville is the director of the documentaries Just for kicks and Air Force 1: Anatomy of an Urban Legend. Thibaut de Longeville also is the founder of 360 Creative, audiovisual production house and art direction agency based in Paris.