Where'd You Get Those? New York City's Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 - Hardcover

Garcia, Bobbito

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1576871797 ISBN 13: 9781576871799

Publisher: Testify Books, 2003

Synopsis

The first of it's kind, the lavishly illustrated and remarkably comprehensive, Where'd You Get Those?, is an insider's account that traces New York City sneaker culture back to its earliest days. Describing how a small and dedicated group of sneaker consumers in the 70s and early 80s proved instrumental in establishing current corporate giants like Nike and Adidas, aficionado Bobbito Garcia writes with the exactitude and affection that only a true believer could bring. While chronicling the rise of sneakers through the lean years of the 60s, the bulk of the book examines sneakers released between the golden years of 1970-1987. Information-packed entries for each model include all of the color combinations available, nicknames of particular models, any relevant athlete endorsement, and (often hilarious) running commentary and stories from a rogues' gallery of fanatics who weigh in on the pros and cons of each sneaker. Via ancillary lifestyle chapters like "Arts and Crafts,"(which details the elaborate process of customizing sneakers ) and "The Sock Hop" (which introduces the unfortunates who had their shoes stolen off their feet, and the sneakers junkies who took them), Where'd You Get Those? examines sneaker culture from every angle. The tome even includes a chapter on New York City's playground basketball legends, the real progenitors of "urban marketing," whose athletic prowess inspired kids on the street to adopt their brands. And in a nod to more recent history, a chapter entitled "Future Undergound Classics" recognizes the models released post-1987 that maintain relevance within an increasingly soulless and money-driven industry. The best secret stores to purchase rare joints, the proper way to care for your kicks, the experts' list of the top ten sneakers of all time--it's all here. Everything you ever wanted to know about the production, distribution, and consumption of sneakers during the seminal years of sneaker culture in New York--the city that set the stage for the worldwide dominance of today's sneaker industry.

About this title

About the Author:

Bobbito Garcia does it all. As Contributing Editor for Vibe magazine, his signature "Soundcheck" column has appeared in every issue for the last eight years. As a DJ, he broke such acts as Wu Tang Clan, Jay-Z and Nas on his legendary "Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito" radio show on New York's WKCR. His passion for sneakers has found many outlets over the years: He was one of the first writers to pen an article on the subject in a national magazine (The Source, in 1991), and he has consulted for Nike, Adidas, and Converse. He has appeared in six Nike ad campaigns from 1994 to 2002, and has displayed his prodigious basketball skills in halftime shows for the NBA. Bobbito's writing has appeared in books such as The Vibe History of Hip Hop (Three Rivers Press) and ego trip's Book of Rap Lists (St. Martin's Press). A genuine hip hop legend, Garcia lives in New York, where he is currently working on "Basics to Boogie," an instructional basketball video/DVD series.

From Publishers Weekly:

"Before Nike controlled nearly half of the global sneaker market" and "before yuppies started wearing sneakers with their suits to walk to and from work," sneaker culture was the province of "sneaker fiends" and ball players, Garcia declares in his paean to the lost golden age of streetwise footwear. A cultural critic, journalist and DJ, Garcia waxes nostalgic-in slang, of course-about "the most seminal and coveted joints" from the 1960s through 1987. For each model, Garcia shares color combinations, nicknames, relevant athlete endorsements and quips from fans on each sneaker's pros and cons. With photographs of basketball players on the court and kids breakdancing on city sidewalks, advertisements for Jordache (with Earl "The Pearl" Monroe pitching, "Go One-On-One With... the Jordache Look"), and up-close shots of classic shoes like the Nike Air Force 1 and the Converse All Star, this is a comprehensive, informative study of shoe culture, as well as a hip tribute to icons like Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Ivan Lendl.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About this edition

• Publisher: Testify Books
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 1576871797
• ISBN 13: 9781576871799
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 272