The history of sneakers: from commodity to cultural icon

By Naomi Braithwaite, Senior Lecturer in Fashion Marketing and Branding, Nottingham Trent University

Sneakers (or trainers if you’re British), once the symbol of athleticism, have transcended their primary function to become commercial and fashionable objects of desire. From sportswear and street style to catwalk fashion, sneakers have made their mark as cultural commodities.

The global sneaker market valued at approximately US$79 billion (£56 billion) in 2020 and is predicted to reach US$120 billion (£85 billion) by 2026. With such huge growth, it is unsurprising that…

Read complete article

~	Australia's handling of the pandemic ranked more accountable than most, but not perfect

~	Vital Signs: how to halve serious injuries and deaths from teenage driving accidents

~	Podcasting overcomes hurdles facing unis to immerse students in the world of workers' experiences

~	Friday essay: rethinking the myth of Daphne, a woman who chooses eternal silence over sexual assault

~	COVID has disrupted our big cities, and regional planning has to catch up fast

~	Australia's media industry shed 5,000 journalists to survive – what does this mean for those who left, and those left behind?

~	Novavax is absent from Australia's 2021 vaccination schedule. But it could be a useful booster later on

~	We found more than 54,000 viruses in people's poo — and 92% were previously unknown to science

~	The sentencing of George Floyd’s killer has lessons for policing in Australia and New Zealand too

~	US scheme used by Australian farmers reveals the dangers of trading soil carbon to tackle climate change