| The critically acclaimed Where’d
You Get Those?: New York’s Sneaker Culture: 1960 – 1987
is an exhaustive look at the enduring love affair between the youth
of New York City and sneakers.
Lavishly illustrated and fully 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 an 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.
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.
SPECS:
8" x 10"
280 pages
Hardcover
Full color throughout
600 photographs
ISBN: 0-9725920-2-4
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