PRO-Keds
PRO-Keds is an American sneaker brand established in 1949 as the performance offshoot of Keds. It is known for vintage basketball silhouettes such as the Royal and the 69er.
| Established | 1949 |
|---|---|
| Origin | United States |
| Parent brand | Keds |
| Signature models | Royal, 69er, Royal Plus |
| Website | theprokeds.com |
What is PRO-Keds?
PRO-Keds is a sneaker brand from the United States that grew out of Keds, the canvas shoe label created by the U.S. Rubber Company in 1916. PRO-Keds was established in 1949 to give Keds a dedicated line of performance footwear for the court.
History
The brand's first performance basketball shoe was the Royal, worn and endorsed by George Mikan. Through the following decades PRO-Keds was worn by basketball players including Nate "Tiny" Archibald, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Pete Maravich, and a 1971 advertisement featured Lou Hudson, Bob Love and Jo Jo White. In 1979 Stride Rite acquired the Keds brands from Uniroyal, the successor to U.S. Rubber.
Products and positioning
The archive of PRO-Keds models remains the core of the brand:
- 69er: an early must-have sneaker that became known as the "Uptown" in Harlem and the Bronx
- Royal Plus: the model that introduced the brand's twin stripes on the upper
- Court King: a model revived in Japan in the 1990s
Why it matters
PRO-Keds is one of the earliest basketball sneaker brands and has a lasting place in New York street culture. Its heritage designs continue to attract collaborations, including work with Patta, the Dutch sneaker boutique, which links the brand to the European sneaker scene.
Frequently asked questions
When was PRO-Keds founded?
PRO-Keds was established in 1949 as the performance basketball line of Keds.
What is the PRO-Keds 69er?
The 69er is a classic PRO-Keds basketball sneaker that became known as the "Uptown" in Harlem and the Bronx.