50 Sneaker Facts You Didn't Know

Image via Complex Original

Yeah, you may have a closet full of heat but are you well-versed about the flyness on your feet? Just like any other industry, there are a few things going on behind the scenes, some hidden meanings, and of course some details close to the people who helped build these brands. Complex compiled a list of 50 random facts that should surprise even the most knowledgeable collector — we don’t want to give too much away though. Check out our gallery of 50 Sneaker Facts You Didn’t Know.

Originally compiled by: Richard Dryden, Brendan Frederick, Thomas Golianopoulus, Maclean Jackson, Toshitaka Kondo, Joe La Puma, Justin Monroe, Damien Scott, and Brian Scotto

Reebok & Pharrell's Make-Ups & Break-Ups

Complex says: Reebok and Pharrell share a love akin to Eminem and Kim. After falling out and threatening to sue each other, the two reconciled and went back into business together. You scream, I scream, we all scream for Ice Creams!

Nike's Name Was Almost What?

Complex says: Before Blue Ribbon Sports was renamed Nike, Phil Knight proposed the name Dimension 6. Chill out, Rod Serling.

Nike Is Lost At Sea

Complex says: On May 27, 1990, a huge shipment of Nikes got lost at sea. In one of the strangest shipping accidents ever, 80,000 pairs of Nikes went missing in the Pacific Ocean en route from South Korea to the United States. Oceanographer Curtis Ebbesmeyer has been recovering Air Solo Flight, Strike Force, and Pegasus from that overboard shipment ever since. “Nike makes durable shoes,” says Ebbesmeyer. “Apparently they’re tougher than the ocean.” Now, Ebbesmeyer tracks their movement. “If you follow the shoes you can follow the currents.” He says a shoe from the spill can drift at an average rate of seven miles per day. “It’s 24,000 miles around the Earth at the equator. So they’ve been floating long enough to go around the world twice.” Dope floats, indeed.

Nike Plays Truant Officer

Complex says: Jordans are released on Saturdays so that kids don't skip school to get 'em. Now they just have to skip school to line up.

adidas Loves The Kids

Complex says: Adidas’s Three Stripes logo is rumored to represent the three sons of Adidas founder Adi Dassler. Good thing adidas wasn't founded by Shawn Kemp.

What Makes The PF's So Fly?

Complex says: The "PF" in PF Flyers stands for "posture foundation." Stand up straight.

Taylor Made Been Selling

Complex says: Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars, first marketed in 1917, are the all-time best-selling sneakers, with total sales nearing 600 million pairs. With Wiz Khalifa included, it's closer to a billion.

Air Jordan Almost Never Happened

Complex says: Michael Jordan wanted to sign with adidas in 1984, not Nike. He was a self-described “Adidas nut,” and told his agent that if the deal was even close he’d sign with them. Apparently it wasn't.

Nike SB, If At First You Don't Succeed...

Complex says: It took Nike three launches to make its skateboarding line a success. Third time is always a charm.

Darryl Dawkins Plays Two Sneaker Companies

Complex says: Eccentric 6'11" NBA center Darryl “Chocolate Thunder” Dawkins was a true pioneer. In 1975 he was the first high school player to go directly to the NBA, and he made history by shattering a backboard with a dunk in 1979. His oddest groundbreaking came in ‘82, when the Nike-endorsed behemoth was offered money by rival brand Pony. Instead of taking sides, he took the money and wore one shoe from each company (Nike wasn’t amused and promptly dumped him). Okay, considering that Dawkins claimed to hail from the planet Lovetron, where his girl Juicy Lucy still lived, it may not have been his oddest moment.

Oakley Teams Up With The Government For Kicks

Complex says: Oakley, as we all know, is well known for their athletic-cut shades, but at one point they teamed up with the U.S. Special Forces for a pair of exclusive kicks for the troops. Sorry, no photos or word if they actually exist — that's G14 Classified.  

Reebok Edges Out Nike For Yao

Complex says: When Reebok signed Yao Ming in 2003, it was the first time the company won an endorsement battle against Nike. Yao wore Nikes as a rookie, then when his deal expired, Reebok scooped him up. He moved plenty of units in China before he retired from basketball earlier this year.

$500 On It

Complex says: Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman started Blue Ribbon Sports, Nike’s forerunner company with $500 each. The B.R.S. name was later resurrected as a division of Nike specializing in clothing to complement its kicks. We're pretty sure Phil and Bill made back their initial investments.

The Nike Cortez Was Born At Asics

Complex says: In 1969, Asics, then known as Onitsuka Tiger, released the Cortez. Phil Knight, who'd been a sales rep for Tiger in the '60s, felt that he'd been instrumental in the development of the shoe, so he took the design with him when he left to form the company that would later become Nike. Thus began a lengthy legal battle. In '74, the courts decided that both parties had the rights to the design of the shoe, but Tiger could not use the name Cortez. As a result, the company renamed its shoe the Corsair. Thirty years later, both models are still available.  

No Cross-Brands In The Luxury Box

Complex says: The big sneaker companies such as Nike and Adidas own viewing boxes at most large sporting events like the U.S. Open and NBA Finals. However, should you step into their box wearing the sneakers of a competitor, you may be promptly asked to go barefoot — or offered to exchange your shoes temporarily for the host brand’s.

50 Cent, Who Shot Ya?

Complex says: In 2005, Reebok pulled a 50 Cent commercial because it showed 50 counting from one to nine, referring to the nine times he got popped. Reebok thought it was a positive message, but a mother whose son was shot to death complained, so the company pulled the ad.

Almost A Nike Nip Slip

Complex says: The Nike waffle sole was originally called the “nipple sole” by its inventor, Bill Bowerman.

Seinfeld's Sneaker Hoarding

Complex says: Jerry Seinfeld owns over 50 pairs of mint-condition white sneakers. Complex showed you a few that he rocked on the show.

Nike Air's A No-Go In NY Jails

Complex says: New York's Department of Correction forbids prisoners in NYC jails to wear NIke Air or similar sneakers because razors and drugs can be stored in the hollowed-out sole of the air bubble. Ironically, prisoners can wear Converse Weapons, as they can't be used as a weapons cache.  

Kurt Cobain's Farewell Kicks

Complex says: Kurt Cobain died wearing a pair of black suede Converse One Stars. Converse later marketed a line of Cobain-themed kicks.

Nike's First Use Of Technology

Complex says: The Air Force 1 was the first basketball shoe to use Nike Air technology when it debuted in 1982.

Walter Payton's Super Bowl Shuffle Kicks

Complex says: Featuring a kangaroo-esque Velcro pouch, Roos were endorsed by former NFL rushing leader, and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Walter Payton.  

Nike Helps Resurrect adidas

Complex says: The management team that resurrected Adidas in the ’90s was made up primarily of former Nike execs.

Swoosh Game Heavy

Complex says: Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman once thought the large Swoosh made the shoes appear heavy. It's all good Bill, we're still in our Nike boots. 

True Crime Leads To Special Edition Pumas

Complex says: In Activision's 2005 game "True Crime: New York City," players had to search for special-edition Puma sneakers and return them to shoe stores. Puma produced the actual Puma x True Crime RS-100 sneaker, and they could be found in the same stores featured in the video game.

An Execution Inspires Nike's Slogan

Complex says: Advertising Age chose Nike's Just Do It slogan as one of the top five ad slogans of the 20th century. Many people may not be aware that Wieden-Kennedy agency co-founder Dan Wieden, was reading his morning paper and came across a story about an American criminal, Gary Gilmore who uttered the words "lets do it" when being led to his execution. You know the rest and a murderer is credited with coining the phrase that helped all of us get so fresh to death.

Nike Never Loses...Money

Complex says: Nike Inc.'s finances have never been in the red. For you non-finance majors, that means they steadily gettin' that paper.

Bulletproof Shoes?

Complex says: When hip-hop and skateboard culture converged, it was a no-brainer that some poor skate kid was gonna get shot. Luckily for Dante Formosa, he was wearing pro Colin McKay’s signature Havocs from DC Shoes.On July 4, 2004, Dante — 12 years old at the time — was enjoying a Philadelphia fireworks show when shots rang out. “I looked down and saw a hole in my shoe. I took my shoe off. It was all bloody,” Dante told NBC News. “My friend pulled out a bullet.” Apparently DC’s rugged design, meant to protect from grip-tape abuse, slowed the stray bullet. Dante was wounded, but it could have been much worse. “I am happy that our durability can stop a bullet; my next shoe will have Kevlar sides just for that reason,” joked Colin McKay. “Oh, and they will work well for skating, too.” While never intending to produce a shoe that could withstand a blast of lead, DC does build skate shoes tough enough to handle the rigors of skateboarding. “We test our kicks in the most abusive way possible — with a skateboard,” says DC Founder and Chief Brand Officer Ken Block. They can apparently take much more.

A Cult Drinks The Kool-Aid In Nikes

Complex says: Members of the Heaven's Gate cult, which conducted a mass suicide in 1997, died rocking fresh black Nike running sneakers with a white Swoosh, giving new meaning to the term "fresh to death."

Could Nike Sue Bape?

Complex says: Anyone who’s ever looked at one of A Bathing Ape’s popular Bapestas has surely noticed their striking similarity to Nike’s Air Force 1s — sans Swoosh and plus gaudy colorways. Though neither Nike nor Nigo will comment on this astounding likeness, one can’t help but wonder if Nike could sue Nigo for patent infringement? “If [a sneaker is] functionally the same but looks a little different, you’re safe,” says Dick Turner, a partner at the Sughrue law firm in Washington, D.C. “Changing things just a little bit will change the look enough where it will be outside of the design patent. To win on a design patent it almost has to be copied.” Sneaker companies file for design and technology patents by submitting a drawing to the United States Patent and Trademark Offices. (According to the USPTO’s website, Nike owns over 2,000 patents.) While design patents are a fairly recent phenomenon, it’s much easier to file for technology infringement. “Take the [Reebok] Pumps,” Turner says. “Anybody else that makes a pump-able shoe is going to have problems regardless of what it looks like. It covers a pretty big area of real estate.” And thus it seems that Nigo may continue pumping Air Faux-ce 1s all the livelong day, ay!

Grant Hill's Fila Deal

Complex says: Fila signed Grant Hill to an $80 million deal in 1997 (only $10 mil less than Bron-Bron's Nike deal.) During his time with Fila, Hill only played 249 games through nine seasons. Lebron hit the same plateau right at the start of his fourth season. 

People Really Grabbed Two Pairs Of Nike Air Force 1s

Complex says: In 2005, Air Force 1s accounted for $1 billion in Nike sales, and a profit margin of 70 percent.

Nike Air Max 360's Influence

Complex says: The original Air Max 360's heel pulltab with two lines inside a 16-dot circle represented the birthday of designer Martin Lotti.  

Reebok's Olympic Fail

Complex says: In the leadup to the 1992 Barcelona Games, Reebok spent $25 million promoting the Dan vs. Dave decathlon battle. The campaign hit a bit of a speed bump when Dan O'Brien didn't even qualify for the Olympics. In 1993, he signed with Nike.

Nike Puts Georgetown In A League Of Its Own

Complex says: When the original Nike Dunk "Be True To Your School" pack was released in school colors to NCAA basketball teams (Michigan, Syracuse, Kentucky, UNLV, Iowa, St. John's), fellow Nike school Georgetown wanted to have its own distinct model. As a result, the team received a model called the Terminator that read "Hoyas" across the back.  

Iverson Is Reebok For Life

Complex says: Reebok signed Allen Iverson to a lifetime contract on November 28, 2001. A.I. gets a reported $7 million a year from the company. Now you know why he is so set on getting back into the league.

Rhebok Back

Complex says: Reebok is named after an African gazelle called a rhebok. Nheat.

Allen Iverson Stays Shining

Complex says: Jacob The Jeweler created a diamond-encrusted Allen Iverson “Question” sneaker with 246 white-gold diamonds. It sold in 2004 in the Eastbay catalog holiday gift guide for $65,000. These ain't conflict diamonds, is they Jacob? Don't lie to us man.  

Just Roddick, He's Good

Complex says: Andy Roddick's signature Reebok was called the "Figjam DMX." "Figjam," which stands for "Fuck I'm good...just ask me," comes from the nickname of Aussie Rules Football player Nathan Buckley.  

Asics' Latin Game

Complex says: Asics is an acronym for the Latin phrase "Anima Sana in Corpore Sano," which translates to a "sound mind in a sound body." 

New Balance Pricing Model

Complex says: By dividing the model number by 10, you can determine the approximate retail price of a New Balance sneaker (i.e. NB574=$57.40). The 320 is a notable exception.

Lebron's Sneaker War

Complex says: Reebok almost signed LeBron James to a $75 million contract, until Nike snatched him up for $90 mil. 

Vans Customs - You Just A Customer

Complex says: Customization is all the rage today, but it’s nothing new to Vans. For those who believe Nike ID is the best thing since shelltoes, peep game. Before sneaker customization went from niche hobby to overpriced mainstream trend, Vans was on it — the company started offering custom sneakers in March of 1966. Founder Paul Van Doren believed in selling shoes directly to customers, and allowed them to bring fabric to the factory to be turned into a shoe. “We’re known for having funky patterns and doing Hawaiian prints, and stuff like that,” explains Vans spokesperson Chris Overholser. “And the way that started was people would bring in their board shorts that got too ratty, and we could pull fabric from them and make them into shoes.” The company put a halt to its custom business when its factories moved overseas in 1995. In 2004, Vans got back in the custom game with its website. Who want what?

DC's Birth Spot

Complex says: DC Shoes' L.A. headquarters stands on the very spot where founder Damon Way was conceived. 

Fabolous Gets Exposed On ESPN

Complex says: When ESPN's Kevin Wilde and David Jacoby decided to make a show about sneakers, Bobbito Garcia was the first and last name on their list of hosts, and rightfully so. Garcia, famous for hosting Stretch Armstrong's popular '90s college radio show, penned the groundbreaking article "Confession of a Sneaker Addict" in The Source in 1991, as well as the sneaker culture tome, Where'd You Get Those? New York City's Sneaker Culture: 1960 to 1987 [Testify, '02]. The producers had no idea the resulting half-hour show, which airs on ESPN2 at 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday nights, and feature segments on sneakerhead dons like Flight Club's Chris Ridell, and celebs Carmelo Anthony and Trick Daddy, would expose F-A-B-O's F-A-U-X collection. "All the kids on niketalk.com were like, 'Yo Fabolous was showing some fake Jordans on the screen and didn't even know it,'' Bobbito recalls. "I don't think he knows to this day."

More With Less

Complex says: According to market research company The NPD Group, sneakers priced over $100 made up only $611 million of the $8 billion that customers spent on footwear during 2005.

Nike Air Max 95 Anatomy Lesson

Complex says: The Nike Air Max 95 design was based on the human body. The mid-sole represents the spine, the graduated panels represent the muscles, the lace loops are the ribs, and the mesh represents the skin. Designer Sergio Lozano pulled out all the stops for that one.

Nike Swoosh Designer's Fee

Complex says: Carolyn Davidson, the Portland State University graphic design student who designed the Nike Swoosh in 1971, was originally paid a fee of $35. In 1983, Nike gave her shares of its stock and a diamond ring featuring the Swoosh. She retired in 2000.

Puma Clyde - The OG Player Signature Model

Complex says: When it premiered in '73, the suede Puma Clyde was the first true signature basketball shoe. When it came time to re-release the shoe, Puma didn't even have an original blueprint, so designers and shoe engineers meticulously dissected an employee's deadstock pair to re-create the specs.  

Nelly Banned From TV

Complex says: “Air Force Ones” were the three dirrty words Nelly couldn’t say on Music Television. In early 2003, MTV, MTV2, and VH1 banned the “Air Force Ones” video due to excessive product placement. For those MTV die-hards who refused to watch BET, which did show the video, here’s what you missed: Nelly and the St. Lunatics perform an impromptu concert after fans interrupt their shopping spree. How did you ever live without that?