Dapper Dan Reflects on ‘The Sole of Black Sneaker History’
This article was originally published on February 8, 2023.
It’s no secret the world of sneakers and streetwear owes much to Black culture. While there has been more representation in the industry in recent years, there’s still work to be done.
To celebrate Black History Month in February and beyond, have officially kicked off ‘The Footprint’, a campaign celebrating the influence of Black culture on sneakers across generations. There’s a tangible outcome of this campaign, with sneakers being auctioned and proceeds supporting D’Wayne Edwards’ nonprofit Pensole Lewis College of Business and Design. The school provides pathways into shoe design for underrepresented young people.
The sneakers up for auction include autographed by Walt Frazier, 1970s and 1970s All Court Blazer Lows. Later additions include, among them, the ‘Chicago’ from 1994 and the New Balance ‘Worthy Express’ (signed by James Worthy himself) are undoubtedly two of the highlights. We also have the Nike ‘Wilson Smith’, Low, Nike ‘Compton’, Avia 840 and ‘The Pump 1989’ Bringback 20th anniversary.