Shoemaker

Description

Since the late 19th century, the Foster family had been manufacturing running shoes in a small workshop in Bolton, equipping the likes of Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams, later immortalized in the film Chariots of Fire, as well as most English soccer clubs. But a violent conflict between Joe Foster's father and uncle over strategy led Joe and his brother Jeff to launch a new company, inspired by the success of Adidas and Puma, and Reebok was born. The beginnings were complicated, and Joe and his wife had to make do with living in their dilapidated factory, in constant fear that the machine that produced their first shoes would give up the ghost. Who could have imagined that these beginnings would soon give birth to a major new player in the sports industry? Joe's marketing vision enabled Reebok to become a global phenomenon as early as the '80s, when the brand was the first to understand the magnitude of the aerobics wave, following in the footsteps of leaders such as Jane Fonda. Soon, Reebok would be appearing on Hollywood red carpets, notably in the credits of Aliens, where Sigourney Weaver wears a pair of Reebok Alien Stompers. Like Phil Knight's (Nike) global bestseller The Art of Victory, Shoemaker tells the story of an entrepreneurial triumph achieved against all odds, revealing the challenges and sacrifices involved in creating a brand.