The sneaker enters the municipal archives of Béziers

Les baskets, ou sneakers, peuvent aujourd’hui se customiser à l’infini. – F.Faux

L’exposition présente quelques modèles rares et revient sur l’histoire de ce phénomène de mode.

Sneakers, today, are on the feet of the whole world. They are sold by the billions, can be customized, can be exchanged on the internet. But like any fashion phenomenon, it is always good to put it in context. This is what the municipal archives are trying to do by hosting an original exhibition which was first designed by the Youth Information Point. "At the beginning, there was no There were only information panels, explains Anaïs-Jeanne Boillat-Jacotet, director of the archives. We supplemented them with documents, and models lent to us by individuals and the company Labo Sneakers de Sauvian, which does customization."

Clogs and old leather and metal shoes from the collections of the Béziers museum allow us to realize that things were not necessarily better before. The revolution will come from vulcanization, a technique invented first for the automobile industry, which makes it possible to obtain very flexible rubber and therefore to manufacture flexible soles. Basket is not the appropriate word: the English word sneakers comes from to sneak, which means " approach discreetly, but it has no equivalent in French.

A first pair in 1916

In any case, when the American Keds released its first pair of sneakers in 1916, it was an immediate success. A multitude of brands will rush into this market, but the best known are those that manage to partner with basketball players. This is the case of Chuck Taylor, in contract from 1921 with Converse, and especially of Michel Jordan with Nike in 1985. From these same years, fans of break dance  nbsp;and rappers also make sneakers a sign of belonging to their community. "It’is both a utility shoe, identity and a fashion accessory", comments Anaïs-Jeanne Boillat-Jacotet.

An evolution that we can judge on the spot thanks to legendary pairs – Air, Jordan, or Dunk – loaned by collectors from Béziers, or others customized by Labo Sneakers.

The exhibition also highlights the shoe industry. We can see there le first statute of the shoemakers of Béziers, which dates from 1598. And at a time when we walk for moving around, with shoes that wear out very quickly, the job is vital: "In Béziers, in 1740, there were 70 master shoemakers, who made shoes, and 11 cobblers, who repaired them. It’s huge. For comparison, at the same time there were only eight pharmacists, and 34 bakers. " Today there is only one master shoemaker left, Elamine Baghdadi, rue de la Citadelle. sneaker is looking for graphic designers, editors, and other professions whose training courses are presented: " We visited leisure centers, and we would also like to have schools, concludes the director. This type of exhibition is also a good way to attract a new audience to the archives."

Basketball history exhibition until May 31, Monday to Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Report to the municipal archives reception, St-Jacques barracks. Free admission. I subscribe to read more