The Rise of Sneaker Culture at Brooklyn Museum, July 10 – October 4, 2015

“From their modest origins in the mid-nineteenth century to high-end sneakers created in the past decade, sneakers have become a global obsession. The Rise of Sneaker Culture is the first exhibition to explore the complex social history and cultural significance of the footwear now worn by billions of people throughout the world.” — Brooklyn Museum.

Photographs by Corrado Serra

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The Rise of Sneaker Culture organized into six sections

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Installation view of a section of The Rise of Sneaker Culture

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Installation view of a section of The Rise of Sneaker Culture

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Manufacturer: Beacon Falls Rubber Shoe Co., High-Top, ca. 1900

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Manufacturer: Dominion Rubber Company, Fleet Foot, ca. 1925

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Manufacturer: Garrison, High-Top, 1940

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Manufacturer: Nike, Inc., Air Jordan I, 1985

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Manufacturer: Converse Rubber Shoe Company, Weapon, 1986

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Manufacturer: PONY, M-100, 1989

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Manufacturer: Nike, Inc., Air Zoom Flight 95 Hi Player’s Sample, 1995

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Manufacturer: Fila, Grant Hill II, 1996

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Designer: Josh Wisdumb. Manufacturer: New Balance, 574, 2005

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Manufacturer: Nike, Inc., Stewie Griffin LeBron VI, 2009

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Designer: Run-DMC. Manufacturer: adidas, 25th Anniversary Superstar, 2011

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Left: Manufacturer: Pierre Hardy, Poworama, 2011. Right: Designer: Pharrell Williams. Manufacturer: adidas, Stan Smith, Polka Dot Small, 2014

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Manufacturer: Pierre Hardy, Poworama, 2011

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Left: Designer: Hussein Chalayan. Manufacturer: Puma, Urban Swift, 2011. Center: Manufacturer: Nike, Inc., Air Force XXV Mache Customs, 2012

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Front: Designer and Manufacturer: Balmain, Leather High Top Sneakers, 2015

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Designer and Manufacturer: Balmain, Leather High Top Sneakers, 2015