Elizabeth Semmelhack, author of Sneakers x Culture: Collab, explores the collaborative culture that surrounds sneakers.
Collaborations have a long history in western fashion and are only increasing in importance especially in sneaker design. This talk charts the history of sneaker collabs beginning in the 1930s and will explore how complex cultural politics and shifting ideas of gender have led to a wide range of people, from musicians and athletes to high fashion designers and blue-chip artists, to participate in sneaker collaborations.
Semmelhack is Senior Curator of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto. Her numerous exhibitions include Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture; The Gold Standard: Glittering Footwear from Around the Globe; and Standing Tall: The Curious History of Men in Heels.