 | |
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sportswear andSports Goods |
| Founded | 1916; 109 years ago (1916) |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Areas served | Worldwide |
Key people | Brendan Hoffman, CEO of Wolverine World Wide |
| Products | Footwear |
| Parent |
|
| Website | www |
Keds is an Americanbrand known for itscanvas shoes with rubber soles. Founded in 1916 byU.S. Rubber, its original shoe design was the first mass-marketed canvas-topsneaker. The brand was sold toStride Rite in 1979, which was acquired byWolverine World Wide in 2012. Since February 2023, Keds has been owned and operated byDesigner Brands.
In 1916,U.S. Rubber consolidated 30 different shoe brand names to create one company. Initially, the name "Peds" was chosen for the brand from theLatin word for feet, but it was already trademarked.[1][2] Keds's original shoe design, the Champion, was the first mass-marketed canvas-top shoe.[3] They became known as "sneakers" as the soft rubber soles allowed "sneaking around silently".[4] By the early 1920s, the shoes were worn by Olympic soccer players, national and international tennis champions, and college athletes.[5] In 1926, the Keds Triumph shoe was introduced.[6] Keds released "Kedettes", a line of washable high-heeled shoes for women, in 1938.[7][8][9]
In 1949,Pro-Keds were introduced as a line of sneakers for athletic performance[10] intended to compete with the industry standard,Converse.[11][12][13] Designed specifically for basketball players, the original style, the Royal,[14] was endorsed byGeorge Mikan. In 1953, theMinneapolis Lakers were outfitted with Pro-Keds.[11] 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.[15] Pro-Keds were worn by NBA stars includingWillis Reed,Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,Nate "Tiny" Archibald,JoJo White,Bob Love,Lou Hudson,Bob Lanier and"Pistol" Pete Maravich,[14] as well as musiciansThe Ramones.[16] The brand gained a following in the hip-hop community by the late 1970s.[14]
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 byRalph Sampson andGerald Henderson. In 1981Sugar Ray Leonard became a spokesperson for the brand.[15]
Stride Rite Corporation purchased Keds andSperry Top-Sider from Uniroyal (formerly U.S. Rubber) in 1979 for $18 million.[12][17]
Keds has produced collaborative collections with companies includingKate Spade New York, Madewell, Opening Ceremony,Steven Alan andAlice + Olivia. In 2009, Keds launched a collaboration with Loomstate which was sold atBarneys New York. The shoes were made with organic cotton, recycled rubber and non-toxic inks and dyes.[18]
Collective Brands Inc., the parent company ofStride Rite Corporation and Keds, was acquired byWolverine World Wide for $1.32 billion in May 2012.[19]
Keds launched the "Ladies First Since 1916" campaign in July 2015, which focuses on female empowerment and featured celebrities including Taylor Swift.[20] In 2016 Keds celebrated its centennial and the continuation of its "Ladies First Since 1916" campaign[21] with a birthday celebration held duringNew York Fashion Week.[22] The company also announced that its shoe manufacturing was moving toMichigan, in the U.S. for the first time in 35 years.[21]
Since February 2023, Keds has been owned and operated byDesigner Brands.[23]
The shoes have been worn by celebrities includingTaylor Swift,[24]Marilyn Monroe,Jackie Kennedy Onassis,Katharine Hepburn,Paul Newman,Humphrey Bogart,Kristen Stewart, andNatalie Portman.[4][8]
After the release of the 1987 movieDirty Dancing, in whichJennifer Grey's character wore Keds, company revenue grew 10 times.[25] Manycheerleaders also wore Keds as part of their uniform during the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s.[26]
In theUSSR and many post-Soviet countries, sneakers with canvas tops became knowngenerically as "keds" (Russian: кеды).[27]
In 2009, singerLana Del Rey featured in an advertisement for the company and served as a spokesperson for a new line of shoes being offered.[28]
Media related toKeds (shoes) at Wikimedia Commons