YO! REEBOK PUMP UP, AIR OUT!

The best designs are often misappropriated performance pieces that push the envelope. When the Insta Pump Fury launched in 1994, it was little more than an inflatable frame, taking design cues from the specialist Insta Pump releases of the previous year.

This was a shoe so modern that even the weight of a pair of laces was deemed excessive. Who needs them when you can pump your shoes to fit? A trademark colourway is always a clincher for cult classicism and for the Pump Fury, red and citroen yellow footed the bill nicely. Beyond the early adopters of Soho et al, the Fury seemed to be targeted at a trend audience too, even if on its launch it was billed more as a serious track prospect.

Sadly, the great ‘lost’ Pump of all time is also a Fury – the Fury Road. With a built-up midsole for road running, this sturdy variation on the standard Fury is a thing of beauty. The Fury garnered appeal among a burgeoning collector community, but as an example of the more offbeat side of sneaker design (Maharishi sno-pants, Terra Humaras in Vogue in 1997/’98) they were immediately embraced in Asia and pretty much released annually in new colours, including commemorating Hong Kong’s ‘97 handover. Bjork was also seen in them during their trendy boomtime and even Jackie Chan got his mitts on a makeup, with must-have hipster status at import prices even more ludicrous than the model’s already heavy fee. Subsequently, the 2003 Chanel hookup and hoo-ha surrounding their right to carry the name makes a certain sense. It’s a testament to the Fury’s unique looks that it refuses to age.