We’re excited to bring the Australian premiere of Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street, kicking off on Sat 25 Nov. The blockbuster summer exhibition, first unveiled by The Design Museum, London, is making its Australian debut at HOTA Gallery.
Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street charts the design and cultural journey of sneakers, one of the most universal design objects, bought and worn by millions of people worldwide every day. Picture this: over 400 objects, 300 plus shoes, and a mix of process material, photography, posters, videos, and artworks.
An Australian exclusive, the exhibition also stars iconic and unique Australian collaborations alongside a program of events, exploring the sneaker phenomenon through an Australian lens.
Photography by Milk and Honey Creative
Photography by Milk and Honey Creative
Photography by Milk and Honey Creative
Photography by Milk and Honey Creative
Photography by Milk and Honey Creative
Photography by Milk and Honey Creative
Photography by Milk and Honey Creative
Photography by Milk and Honey Creative
Split into two sections, head behind the scenes of the footwear phenomenon that's challenged performance design, inspired youth subcultures, and shaken the world of fashion.
STYLE
The first chapter of the exhibition, STYLE, examines the influence of social movements and youth culture on sneakers. Originating in New York during the 1970s, the basketball and hip-hop communities elevated the sneaker from sportswear accessory to cultural symbol through the likes of Clyde Frazier and Run-DMC.
Following the ongoing global evolution of sneakers style, the exhibition explores iconic collaborations that shaped the industry over the years with athletes including Michael Jordan, whose Nike Air Jordan 1 OG’s were the first shoe Nike designed specifically for one athlete. The impact of high-end fashion and runway reinventions by Comme des Garçons, Sacai, A-Cold-Wall*,Craig Green and Olivia Kim are also explored alongside celebrity endorsements such as Pharell for Adidas.
PERFORMANCE
The second chapter, PERFORMANCE, explores the new technologies, processes and materials by designers in sport science, in a quest to make their shoes technically the best. From the iconic early Converse ‘Big 9’ and materials from basketball clinics run by Chuck Taylor in the 1950s, to the record breaking Nike ‘Alphafly NEXT%’ and self-lacing ‘Fit Intelligence’ shoe by Puma.
The exhibition also features a number of prototypes alongside futuristic designs from the past and present. A journey through the design process behind today’s most inventive shoes, examples include a brand using blockchain certification, the world’s first biologically active shoes developed by MIT Design Lab and Biorealize for Puma.
Looking towards a future of sustainable footwear, the exhibition shines a light on the designers working to make this industry change, from plant-based sneakers by brands including Veja and Native Shoes, and customised designs from Helen Kirkum and Alexander Taylor.
We’ve teamed up with Sneaker Freaker to showcase rare Australian collaborations unique to HOTA. This includes the original Nike Air Presto made for the Australian Olympic team for Sydney 2000, one of the most elusive sneakers for collectors across the globe; Sneaker Freaker's New Balance 997.5 Tassie Tiger named after the native Australian marsupial; and Melbourne Rules, a collaboration with BespokeIND to celebrate the iconic 2016 AFL Grand Final between the Sydney Swans and the Western Bulldogs.
But that's not all! Don't miss the packed program of panel discussions and events running across the opening weekend and throughout summer.
#Lace-up your curiosity at HOTA Gallery
Don't miss the chance to walk through the history of iconic footwear this summer. Immerse yourself in culture, innovation, and style.
Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street
Open 10am-4pm daily from Sat 25 Nov
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