Spitfires and Hurricanes (81-84)

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.

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. 

COUGAR! Road training legend (1976 -78).

Before the Aztec, Reebok was already a well-established Road training brand in the UK, Europe and USA, the shoe that had established that reputation was Cougar, a tough yet light Road shoe that had gone through many modifications through the 1970’s. 

Marathon and Cougar (1972 to 1973)

Enter the Cougar, a new shoe for Reebok making use of new materials that had just become available and it addressed the needs of the modern runner.

The Shoe that saved Nike®!

Adidas and Nike could no longer sit it out, they had waved off Aerobics as a fitness fad that would fade, colourful women’s shoes were athleisure and took market from KEDS and Converse, it wasn’t a serious market, they reasoned.  Fitness hit them hard, double digit falls in sales and rising inventory of their long-term best sellers, filled up warehouses and soaked up cash faster than they could turn off the tap, they were both in trouble.

In Search of colour (2004 to 2022).

I look at Frostline™ as Grubs® equivalent to the freestyle high-top.  I often think about colour matching those wool samples  from Benetton® to get the Leather and EVA to match 35 years ago, when I am matching Rubber and nylon swatches for the next season.  We pick our colours from the same colour matching service Reebok® used after the Benetton® days.  Grubs® has a young colourful fun boot for active women in the outdoors, just like Reebok had her in the studio. Funny how the world turns in circles!

AZII OG review

In 1982 Dave Singleton was brought in to head sales and marketing while Paul Brown was to design the next generation of Reeboks. Along with Paul came further investment in equipment and product.  

Daybreak for JD and all the other Freds (2000-2007)

At our first meeting John had made it clear that he wanted to court JD with footwear.  That was his reason for committing to the footwear project!

Welcome to Porto! (’91-’93)

It was my first ever trip to Portugal which was beautiful apart from the fact that the Rockport office was across from a tuna canning plant which had a very strong odour. Each day the country manager Acacio Moutinho would collect me from the luxury of the Sheraton Porto and we would drive up to the factory for the day. It was great weather, good food and even better wine! A big change from travelling in Taiwan and Korea at that time and very welcome.

The return of Uncle John

John William Foster, the youngest of three brothers, my dad, Joseph and the eldest brother, Jeffrey; came back to Reebok in early ’87 to head up Reebok sports, the UK factory and to drive sales via direct channels and specialist product distribution. Less well known, is that my Uncle John originally arrived at Reebok via my grandfather James William Foster.