Reebok

A history of spikes, antelopes and CrossFit

It all began at the end of the 19th century. Joseph William Foster and his sons founded a sportswear brand that sought to improve the experience and speed of runners. The entrepreneurs came up with an apparently simple idea that gave the key impulse for both the company and athletes during the race: implanting spikes in the front part of the sneakers. This stroke of ingenuity elevated the newborn Reebok as one of the favorite proposals on the British tracks and, later, at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris, one of the best showcases for the world of sports. The truth is that, around that time, the company didn’t have the same name it does now. The company first wanted to register it as Mercury Sports Footwear, but in 1958, it was officially established as Reebok. The name comes from rhebok, an exceptionally agile African antelope. During this time, some real milestones arrived in the form of sneakers. Years later, the marketing expert Paul Fireman discovered the brand and contacted the owners to become a Reebok distributor in the United States. This move was key to expanding the brand’s popularity. In the 80s, Reebok launched the first line of sports footwear and clothing for women. Just in time for the rise of women’s aerobics. Tennis courts had already become one of the favorite scenarios of the first silhouettes: white, simple, discrete and with high quality materials. In 2005, it was bought by adidas, marking one of the most decisive business events of sportswear. And until 2020, it became the official CrossFit brand, a successful sports phenomenon that doesn’t stop gaining followers year after year. The love relationship between the brand and the training program was broken when Reebok unilaterally left CrossFit for a few comments that the CEO Greg Glassman posted online. Beyond contracts and agreements, the history of Reebok is the main reason why the brand has become a favorite of athletes and streetwear fans.