Not only could Pentland provide the financial backing Fireman needed but also, they had offices in Hongkong and Pusan, Korea the home of HS corporation and their factory. To head his development Paul recruited Steve Liggett, who would spend much of the next five years flying to and from Pusan where he stayed for months on end.
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Orient express (77-83)
Reebok had struggled through the mid 70’s to fight increases in cost, inflation in the UK was running at over 10% and industrial relations between corporations and unions was at rock bottom. Every year Reebok’s prices went up while their competitions didn’t. It was at the super show that salvation from this ever-increasing spiral was found.
It’s a Classic!
Looking back on the history of Reebok and the evolvement of the company into a worldwide force. This was one of the key times that resulted in a range of product that would define Reebok for the next decade:
Lesson learnt (April to May 1985)!
Work on what was to become the LX8500 and GL6000 began in April ’85 and was a combined plan to create a new $100 running shoe that was to be a SUPER Leather Classic running shoe and a premium stability shoe to sit above Phase1 and replace City in Europe.
Reebok UK (July 1984)
In July 1984 Reebok appointed a new distributor, Fleetfoot Ltd. Owned by Chris Brasher and John Disley.
Not at first Sight!
‘Yeah Reebok, Aerobics’, ‘you got lucky there!’ or ‘that was easy’. Until, Denise Austin landed a slot on American Breakfast TV and finished her routine with the immortal line; “You can do this in the studio or at home” “bare feet or a pair of shoes like these!” She held her foot up to her beaming face and there was that Union Flag and the word REEBOK we had just been beamed into every home in America.
My left foot
My first footwear design was to a brief from our UK distributor: I used the burgundy red suede that had previously bled over the first production Victory G and silver laterals went on a sample length of pretty close matching burgundy nylon. To my amazement they pick that one, the left foot from the second pair. So Invincible was born!
Rats Urine (February 1983)
I began working for my dad shortly after my 17 birthday, February 1983. My dad seemed genuinely happy that I wanted to be part of Reebok, Paul Brown who I worked for there was great guy that had worked for Bata when they made Aztecs for Reebok and been convinced by dad to move north and work for this little shoe company.
The G’ men (1980-82)
“Joe, we need a road shoe made from Gore-Tex!” back in the UK my dad set to work and put together the world’s first Gore-Tex running shoe, The Victory G: Self-styled ‘The most advanced foul weather running shoe ever built’!
Super Show (1978-79)
My dad had been going to the Super Show in Atlanta every year since 1965. He came home with these new shoes and said: “We need something like this, if we don’t have it, these guys are going to kill us!” Jeff did the designing and Joe picked the colours, inspired by the new Internationalist it would be blue with a yellow side stripe. By late ’78 the range of new ‘Nike killer’ shoes featuring the Roadstar, Waffle inspired square cut heel, rubber soled shoes were ready: Cordova, Starmaker, Midas Racer, Inca spike and the legendary Aztec trainer. They were in Joe’s bag as he headed back to the Super Show at the beginning of 1979.
Foster's Famous Shoe's 