Some Retro Footwear from the 80's

An iconic "must-have" of the 1980's pop culture scene, the Reebok Freestyle will forever go down in history as the athletic shoe that changed the face of women's fitness. Twenty-five years later, the Reebok Freestyle remains one of the best selling shoes of all time.

Reebok is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special collection of six limited-edition shoes. Called “Freestyle Forever”, the 2007 Freestyle collection will also feature six limited-edition Freestyles varying from authentic bring backs to modern-day artist collaborations. Beginning this month the footwear will be available on www.rbk.com and at select boutiques around the world for a suggested price range of $65-$150.

"Reebok is passionate about debuting the 25th Anniversary Freestyle Collection because the shoe represents our history as the brand that pioneered the women's fitness movement and started the high-top fashion trend," said Reebok's Chief Marketing Officer, Uli Becker. "Today, fashion is about freedom of expression and keeping it real. Back in the '80s, the Freestyle was worn by women who wanted to make a statement about their authenticity and individuality, and that still holds true today."

One of the first athletic shoes created especially for women, the original Reebok Freestyle symbolized female empowerment. After revolutionizing the industry and igniting the women's aerobics dance craze in 1982, the Freestyle made up more than half of the sales for Reebok in 1984. In 1986, Reebok launched the ad campaign "Life Is Not a Spectator Sport." Highlighting
the Freestyle, the campaign encouraged women to become active participants in the world of fitness. This message strongly resonated and gained an astounding following of trendy young female consumers of the time. The groundbreaking ad coupled with top celebrity endorsements, including model Cindy Crawford, singer Paula Abdul and most notably the appearance of iconic actress Cybill Shepherd wearing a bright orange pair at the 1985 Emmy Awards, solidified the
Freestyle's status as a key fashion item.