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:

B6300 a true CLASSIC? (2004 to 2016)

It’s been offered in quite a few variation: red, green, navy as well as leather. the original white and black are still the ticket though!

Sorry to all the parents! (’92-’93)

I have to apologise at this point to all the parents of teenage boys in the late 1990’s who were forced under pester power, to spend £200 on a pair of Rockport XCS Umbwe so ‘Little Johnny’ would look cool at school.

Rockport landing ’90

Luckily the young doctor spoke excellent English and after two pills and some rehydration powders I was sent home NT$300 lighter. Why am I telling you this? Eight weeks later Ray flew out to follow up on development and ended up in critical care for a week having eaten the Tuna fish sandwich. I had escaped lightly.

Loosing Confidence, (86 -87)

Ironic that when Angel Martinez had given that speech to us at Pine Isle in February ’86 and talked about being in front. Reebok’s senior management had at that moment, looked over their shoulder, blinked and lost confidence. The resumption of that confidence took three years before in late ’89 Reebok again began to promote on merit from within.

Wade-Smith (Summer ‘86)

Wade Smith was owned and run by Robert Wade-Smith assisted by a young guy by the name of Chris Lee. Ironically, Chris would leave Wade-Smith in 1999 to be the Creative Director of Product at Reebok for two years. Wade-Smith was a small store in ’86 but was a mecca for trainer nuts, especially Adidas City Series, Gazelle, Trimtab etc. For us to be accepted into this inner sanctum was an honour, even if we didn’t realise at the time.

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.