Skate Shoes: ’70s, ’80s, ’90s – Vol. 2

The very first prototype of a skateboard can be traced all the way back to the early 1900s, but skateboarding as a subculture didn’t truly blossom until the 1950s when it was popularised by surfboarders who resided in the sunny states of California and Hawaii.

As skateboarding evolved over the decades, naturally, the footwear evolved along with it, spawning classic styles with perennial appeal that are still rampant on the scene today.

An imperative decade for skateboarding in which both the ‘Ollie’ and the polyurethane wheel came into play. Vans release the world’s first ‘‘skate shoe’’, Style #95. A year later, the Vans Old Skool was born. Towards the end of the decade, hardwood staples such as the Air Jordan 1, Nike Blazer and Converse Chuck Taylor are becoming adopted, pivoting the trajectory of skate shoes towards a tougher, more ankle-friendly space.

Now this is where things really start to liven up. Thrasher Magazine is born in ‘81 and brings wider coverage and a cult-status appeal to the urban sport as a whole. Vans release its pro hi-top Steve Caballero model, meanwhile, Etnics (Etnies) and AIRWALK rock up on the scene. 

The decade finishes with vert, pool and transition skating taking a backseat as street skating – a more stylish, technical evolvement in the natural progression of the sport – starts to gain widespread popularity and interest among the newer generation.

Arguably the most historic decade in skateboarding to date in terms of identity, brand inceptions and overall awareness of the activity that’s starting to lose its ‘underground’ aura.

In 1992, Steve Caballero notices that skaters are cutting his hi-top pro model into a mid-top in order to assist them in performing more complicated tricks that require more nimbleness. The Vans Half Cab gets the green light shortly after. Droors Clothing (DC Shoes) is created by Damon Way and Ken Block in June of ‘94. 

The halfway point in the decade sees the launch of éS, with Eric Koston’s pro model releasing a bit later on in ‘97. DVS is also founded in ‘95, while Emerica comes to life in ‘96. These ’90s brands who understand the fastly changing needs of the skater shift the footwear into a padded low-top direction. As the end of the decade approaches the chunky skate shoe era is well underway right in time for the new millennium. 

DC Shoes Lucien

Palace skateboarder Lucien Clarke’s pro DC Shoes model re-engineers chunky skate silhouettes of the past through a contemporary visor.

Vans Authentic

California certified, Vans’ Authentic has been around since the Anaheim label’s infancy, supplying both skateboarding and lifestyle demands for decades.

Converse Crochet Chuck 70 High

Totally unique, Converse’s Crochet Chuck 70 High is a DIY-inspired take on the pedigree lineage that’s uniquely coloured and patterned to each size.

Read more about the evolution of skate shoes over on the size? blog.