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 the Latin 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 by George Mikan. In 1953, the Minneapolis 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 including Willis Reed, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nate "Tiny" Archibald, JoJo White, Bob Love, Lou Hudson, Bob Lanier and "Pistol" Pete Maravich,[14] as well as musicians The 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 by Ralph Sampson and Gerald Henderson. In 1981 Sugar Ray Leonard became a spokesperson for the brand.[15]
Keds has produced collaborative collections with companies including Kate Spade New York, Madewell, Opening Ceremony, Steven Alan and Alice + Olivia. In 2009, Keds launched a collaboration with Loomstate which was sold at Barneys New York. The shoes were made with organic cotton, recycled rubber and non-toxic inks and dyes.[18]
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 during New York Fashion Week.[22] The company also announced that its shoe manufacturing was moving to Michigan, in the U.S. for the first time in 35 years.[21]
Since February 2023, Keds has been owned and operated by Designer Brands.[23]
After the release of the 1987 movie Dirty Dancing, in which Jennifer Grey's character wore Keds, company revenue grew 10 times.[25] Many cheerleaders also wore Keds as part of their uniform during the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s.[26]
In the USSR and many post-Soviet countries, sneakers with canvas tops became known generically as "keds" (Russian: кеды).[27]
In 2009, singer Lana Del Rey featured in an advertisement for the company and served as a spokesperson for a new line of shoes being offered.[28]
^Robert J. Baptista (May 19, 2009). "Naugatuck Chemical Company". Colorants History. Archived from the original on May 13, 2010. Retrieved April 25, 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
