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Keds is an American
brand A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
of canvas shoes with rubber soles. Founded in 1916, the company is owned by
Wolverine World Wide Wolverine World Wide, Inc. or Wolverine Worldwide, is a publicly traded American footwear manufacturer based in Rockford, Michigan. The shoemaker is known for its eponymous brand, Wolverine Boots and Shoes, as well as other brands, such as Hush ...
. The original shoe design, the Champion, was the first mass-marketed canvas-top "sneaker".


History


Early history

In 1916,
U.S. Rubber The company formerly known as the United States Rubber Company, now Uniroyal, is an American manufacturer of tires and other synthetic rubber-related products, as well as variety of items for military use, such as ammunition, explosives, chemical ...
consolidated 30 different shoe brand names to create one company. Initially, the brand name "Peds" was chosen for the company from the
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through ...
word for feet, but the name was already trademarked. Because the shoes had a soft rubber sole, they became known as ''
sneakers Sneakers (also called trainers, athletic shoes, tennis shoes, gym shoes, kicks, sport shoes, flats, running shoes, or runners) are shoes primarily designed for sports or other forms of physical exercise, but which are now also widely used fo ...
'' as the rubber soles allowed "sneaking around silently". By the early 1920s, the shoes were worn by Olympic soccer players, national and international tennis champions, and college athletes. In 1926, the Keds Triumph shoe was introduced. Keds released "Kedettes", a line of washable high-heeled shoes for women, in 1938.


Pro-Keds

In 1949, Pro-Keds were introduced as a line of sneakers for athletic performance intended to compete with the industry standard, Converse. Designed specifically for basketball players, the original style, the Royal, was endorsed by George Mikan. In 1953, the Minneapolis Lakers were outfitted with Pro-Keds. In 1969, Pro-Keds introduced the 69er, and demand for them in Harlem and The Bronx was so overwhelming that they became known as "Uptowns". The early 1970s saw the introduction of the Royal Plus, also known as the "Suede Super", which had a suede upper, padded collar, and was available in a high or low top. Pro-Keds were worn by NBA stars including
Willis Reed Willis Reed Jr. (born June 25, 1942) is an American retired basketball player, coach and general manager. He spent his entire professional playing career (1964–1974) with the New York Knicks. In 1982, Reed was inducted into the Naismith Me ...
, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate "Tiny" Archibald,
JoJo White Joseph Henry White (November 16, 1946 – January 16, 2018) was an American professional basketball player. As an amateur, he played basketball at the University of Kansas, where he was named a second-team All-American twice. White was part o ...
, Bob Love, Lou Hudson,
Bob Lanier Robert Jerry Lanier Jr. (September 10, 1948 – May 10, 2022) was an American professional basketball player who was a center for the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Lanier was inducted in ...
and "Pistol" Pete Maravich, as well as musicians
The Ramones The Ramones were an American punk rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first true punk rock group. Despite achieving a limited commercial appeal in the United St ...
. The brand gained a following in the hip-hop community by the late 1970s. In the spring of 1980, Pro-Keds launched a collection of performance cupsole basketball shoes with the marquee model being the Shotmaker. The Shotmaker would be worn by
Ralph Sampson Ralph Lee Sampson Jr. (born July 7, 1960) is an American former professional basketball player. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A phenom, three-time college national player of the year, and first overall selec ...
and Gerald Henderson. In 1981 Sugar Ray Leonard became a spokesperson for the brand.


Stride Rite and Wolverine World Wide ownership

Stride Rite Corporation purchased Keds and
Sperry Top-Sider Sperry or Sperry Top-Sider is an American brand of boat shoe designed in 1935 by Paul A. Sperry. Sperrys, or Top-Siders, were the first boat shoes introduced into the boating and footwear markets. Today the Sperry brand is owned by Wolverine Worl ...
from Uniroyal in 1979 for $18 million. Keds has produced collaborative collections with companies including Kate Spade New York, Madewell, Opening Ceremony,
Steven Alan Steven Alan (born ''Steven Alan Grossman'') is an American fashion designer from New York City. His eponymous brand has stores in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco and is sold online. History Opening his first New York City retail store and ...
and
Alice + Olivia Alice + Olivia is a New York City-based contemporary clothing company with designer Stacey Bendet at the helm. The global brand launched at Barneys in 2002, and is now sold in over fifty countries. History alice + olivia is partially owned by Uni ...
. In 2009, Keds launched a collaboration with Loomstate which was sold at Barneys New York. The shoes were made with organic cotton, recycled rubber and non-toxic inks and dyes. Collective Brands Inc., the parent company of Stride Rite Corporation and Keds, was acquired by
Wolverine World Wide Wolverine World Wide, Inc. or Wolverine Worldwide, is a publicly traded American footwear manufacturer based in Rockford, Michigan. The shoemaker is known for its eponymous brand, Wolverine Boots and Shoes, as well as other brands, such as Hush ...
for $1.32 billion in May 2012. Keds launched the "Ladies First Since 1916" campaign in July 2015, which focuses on female empowerment and featured celebrities including Taylor Swift. In 2016 Keds celebrated its centennial and the continuation of its "Ladies First Since 1916" campaign with a birthday celebration held during
New York Fashion Week New York Fashion Week (NYFW), held in February and September of each year, is a semi-annual series of events in Manhattan typically spanning 7–9 days when international fashion collections are shown to buyers, the press, and the general pub ...
. The company also announced that its shoe manufacturing was moving to
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and t ...
, in the U.S. for the first time in 35 years.


Popular culture

The shoes have been worn by celebrities including
Marilyn Monroe Marilyn Monroe (; born Norma Jeane Mortenson; 1 June 1926 4 August 1962) was an American actress. Famous for playing comedic " blonde bombshell" characters, she became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, as wel ...
,
Jackie Kennedy Onassis Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A po ...
,
Katharine Hepburn Katharine Houghton Hepburn (May 12, 1907 – June 29, 2003) was an American actress in film, stage, and television. Her career as a Hollywood leading lady spanned over 60 years. She was known for her headstrong independence, spirited perso ...
,
Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...
,
Betty White Betty Marion White (January 17, 1922December 31, 2021) was an American actress and comedian. A pioneer of Golden Age of Television, early television, with a television career spanning almost seven decades, White was noted for her vast work i ...
,
Humphrey Bogart Humphrey DeForest Bogart (; December 25, 1899 – January 14, 1957), nicknamed Bogie, was an American film and stage actor. His performances in Classical Hollywood cinema films made him an American cultural icon. In 1999, the American Film In ...
,
Natalie Portman Natalie Portman (born Natalie Hershlag, he, נטע-לי הרשלג, ) is an Israeli-born American actress. She has had a prolific film career since her teenage years and has starred in various blockbusters and independent films, receiving mu ...
,
Fred Rogers Fred McFeely Rogers (March 20, 1928 – February 27, 2003), commonly known as Mister Rogers, was an American television host, author, producer, and Presbyterian minister. He was the creator, showrunner, and host of the preschool television se ...
, and
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bo ...
. After the release of the 1987 movie '' Dirty Dancing'', in which
Jennifer Grey Jennifer Grey (born March 26, 1960) is an American actress. She made her acting debut with the film ''Reckless'' (1984), and had her breakthrough with the teen comedy film '' Ferris Bueller's Day Off'' (1986). She subsequently earned worldwide ...
wore Keds, company revenue grew 10 times. Many cheerleaders also wore Keds as part of their uniform during the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s. In the 1990s,
Demi Moore Demi Gene Moore ( ; née Guynes; born November 11, 1962) is an American actress. After making her film debut in 1981, Moore appeared on the soap opera '' General Hospital'' (1982–1984) and subsequently gained recognition as a member of the Br ...
voiced a television campaign for Keds.
Mischa Barton Mischa Anne Marsden Barton (born 24 January 1986) is a British-American film, television, and stage actress. She began her career on the stage, appearing in Tony Kushner's '' Slavs!'' and took the lead in James Lapine's ''Twelve Dreams'' at Ne ...
, who starred in '' The O.C.'', became the face of Keds in an ad campaign in the late 2000s. In the
Stephen King Stephen Edwin King (born September 21, 1947) is an American author of horror, supernatural fiction, suspense, crime, science-fiction, and fantasy novels. Described as the "King of Horror", a play on his surname and a reference to his high s ...
novella ''
Apt Pupil ''Apt Pupil'' (1982) is a novella by Stephen King, originally published in the 1982 novella collection ''Different Seasons'', subtitled "Summer of Corruption". Format of the story ''Apt Pupil'' consists of 30 chapters, many of which are headed by ...
'', guidance counselor Ed French owns several pairs of Keds, which he (incorrectly) believes will endear him to the student body. They nickname him "Sneaker Pete" and "The Ked Man." In the film ''
The Truth About Cats and Dogs ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'',
Ben Chaplin Ben Chaplin (born Benedict John Greenwood; 31 July 1969)''Births, Marriages & Deaths Index of England & Wales, 1916–2005.''; at ancestry.com is a British actor. He is best known for his roles in films, including ''The Truth About Cats & Dogs' ...
asks Janeane Garofalo to give him a personal item of hers. She tosses a shoe down to him and he picks it up and comments, "Wow...it's a Ked!" Keds are mentioned in the Wheatus song " Teenage Dirtbag." The subject of the song is described as wearing "Keds and tube socks." In the
USSR The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nati ...
and many post-Soviet countries, sneakers with canvas tops became known generically as "keds" (Russian: кеды).


References


External links

* * {{Clothing Athletic shoe brands Shoe brands Clothing companies established in 1916 Wolverine World Wide Companies based in Lexington, Massachusetts 1910s fashion 1920s fashion 1930s fashion 1940s fashion 1950s fashion 1960s fashion 1970s fashion 1980s fashion 1990s fashion 2000s fashion 2010s fashion 1916 establishments in New York (state)