Basketball shoe, tennis shoe, trainer or sneaker, regardless of the name, they have influenced the way we live, and the way we dress, since the early 20th century. Worn by millions of people the world over, sneakers have, in just a few decades, become a mass-market product that transcends gender, age, and social and cultural background. But how did a simple sports shoe make the leap from the pitch to become a genuine fashion accessory seen on pavements around the world – and generate an industrial rivalry with huge sums of money at stake?
With the participation of major brands archives and reference institutions, more than 60 lenders and more than 600 pairs and documents presented, Playground is the first exhibition of this scale in Europe to present this cultural phenomenon.