REEBOK FREESTYLE FOREVER!

New York City can also lay claim to originating the Freestyle’s underground code name. The gang-banging ‘5411’ handle came from the US $49.99 price tag plus tax which yup, you guessed it, rounded out at $54.11.

Initially they came in leather only, but as the years passed the designers experimented with nubuck, canvas, synthetic and patent varieties. When Reebok realised they’d really rocked the market, they kept producing more and more waves of colour as the demand grew. Red and navy came next after white, backed up by a move to hot pink, orange, turquoise and purple.

Over the years there have been a few Freestyle hybrids like the Reebok Princess followed by the Empress and Duchess as well as the Plie shoe. But none made a lovebite on the market quite as rampant as the OG Freestyle. Man-dudes weren’t totally forgotten either as Reebok released a macho Freestyle they called the Ex-O-Fit, which has been slated for re-release in 2009. Unsurprisingly, the Ex-O-Fit never really took off, leaving the Freestyle where it should be, women’s business.

Another notorious piece of Freestyle trivia can still be bought on eBay for a fat $20 if you know the right keywords. ‘All American Barbie’ was released in 1989 and came packed with two pairs of Reebok Freestyles and official branding on the box. That wouldn’t be blinked at today but in 1989 this was nuts - even Barbie wanted to Freestyle!