Major Sneakers Exhibition Coming To London’s Design Museum

A major exhibition about sneakers is coming to London’s Design Museum from April 30th to Oct. 24th. With lockdown rules set to be eased gradually from March 8th in the U.K., the exhibition “Sneakers Unboxed: From Studio to Street” is to showcase classic models such as Converse Chuck Taylor, Puma Disc, Nike’s blue and yellow Waffle sneaker, and Reebok’s Instapump Fury.

Rare pairs from Michael Jordan, Run-DMC, Supreme and Kanye West, and recent fashion collaborations from A-Cold-Wall by Samuel Ross, Craig Green, Sacai and Martine Rose will also be on display, alongside visuals and graphic work from Jamel Shabazz, Grace Ladoja, Simon Wheatley and Reuben Dangoor.

The exhibition will also take the audience through the design process behind some of the most advanced designs today, such as Adidas’ FutureCraft.Strung shoemaking robot designed by Kram/Weisshaar, and Satoshi, a brand using blockchain certification, and see the world’s first biologically active shoes developed by MIT Design Lab and Biorealize for Puma.

Exhibition curator Ligaya Salazar said the display of hundreds of sneaker also “reveals the role young people from diverse backgrounds have played in making individual sneakers into style icons and in driving an industry now worth billions.

“The exhibition also gives behind-the-scenes insight into new upcycling and sustainable design practices, unseen prototypes predicting the future of performance design, and streetwear and fashion collaborations that changed the face of the industry,” she added.

Resale platform StockX is the lead sponsor of the event. It will showcase three dynamic audio-enhanced data visualizations that illustrate different growth areas including the evolution of StockX, the explosion of female sneakers and how sneakers designs have transformed over time.

Derek Morrison, the company’s senior director of Europe, said “sneakers make us feel connected to brands, people and cultural moments and they serve as a means of self-expression, whether you’re a collector or wearing them right out of the box.

“They also have the power to unlock economic opportunity, and we have a vibrant community of sellers ranging from students funding their education to sophisticated businesses selling thousands of pairs daily. The love for sneakers transcends age, gender and location, and no matter your background, you probably have a connection, memory or story about your favorite pair,” he added.

Main visual from the exhibition “Sneakers Unboxed: From Studio to Street,” running April 30th to Oct. 24th at London’s Design Museum.