Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but at any particular point in history it is difficult to magine new developments. In the early 1980s this was the case in the world of trainers. The big players at that time were concentrating their efforts on new shoes for the traditional sporting arena, and this was enough to keep them busy.
However, just when the big boys had taken their eyes off the main prize, a long-established but small-market British player took advantage of the situation. That company was Reebok.
Reebok had roots that went all the way back to 1891, but it wasn’t until the late 1970s that company started to emerge as a global presence in terms of sales. In 1982 it stole a march that pushed it to top of the trainer sales wars. The product that gave Reebok that competitive edge was the FREESTYLE
In the United States, women in particular had been developing a growing passion for fitness, and in the early 1980s a new craze- aerobic dance - was sweeping the country. The demands on footwear now started to shift as these women wanted trainers that were not developed for traditional sports. Aerobics wasn’t about sprinting, kicking or jogging. It involved moving about in a warm gym, or even in your own home in front of a VCR. Aerobic practitioners not only placed a high regard on comfort, but since it was usually a ground activity, fashion was important.
Reebok took a keen interest in this fast growing phenomenon and took the bold step of marketing a trainer specifically designed for women - more particularly, women who pratised aerobics - by releasing the shoe in ‘female-friendly’ pastel shades of hot pink or lemon yellow. The result spectaclar, Within two years a generation of Olivia Newton John-inspired aerobics women propelled Reebok from the minor league to the top of the trainer sales charts.
The Freestyle is celebrating their 25th anniversary this year 07.
Gaining credibility in the fitness world, the Reebok Freestyle came in both high-top and low-top versions and in a wide variety of colors. Reebok produced another shoe called the Princess, which resembled the Freestyle, but was unable to contend with it. Workout is a beautiful shoe.
Reebok Workout
First Released: 1985
Original Purpose: Aerobics
Example Shown: Reissues
Notes: The Reebok Freestyle is one of Reebok?s best selling shoes ever.
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