Published: 13 June 2023
In the late 19th century, the habits of working-class people began to dictate the functions of the fashions they wore. Leisure time was slowly becoming a bigger part of daily lives and they needed clothing and footwear to accommodate it. The Liverpool Rubber Company, founded by the now legendary John Boyd Dunlop, was an innovative engineer who discovered a way to bond canvas uppers to rubber soles, essentially inventing the sneaker almost two centuries ago. Victorians would know these as sandshoes and they used them on their days out to the beach as seaside holidays became more popular. The Dunlop Green Flash is an iconic prototype sneaker worn by the Wimbledon champion Fred Perry in the 1930s and still available to this day.
Over in the United States, Converse were similarly working on their basketball shoe from the early 1900s onwards, and the Dassler brothers of Germany, Adi, and Rudolf, began their own shoe company that would see them eventually split into the trainer titans of Adidas and Puma. None of these footwear pioneers could have foreseen just how important the sneaker would be as a cultural icon throughout the 20th and 21st Centuries. Variations of the humble sneaker have stepped in time with the birth of hip-hop, electronic dance music, and the grunge explosion of the 1990s. They have made their way from the track to the terraces and eventually onto the catwalk.
London is fortunate to have some of the best sneaker stores anywhere in the world to keep this phenomenon going and offer a chance to get your hands on some of the most credible kicks. Let’s take a look through our pick of the bunch in the capital.
Presented By
Presented By is a true 21st-century retail location that builds a unique, immersive, and engaging experience around sneakers and urban culture. This isn’t your average shoe shop. The décor and all-important soundtrack that washes over you as you approach their flagship store in Percy Street, West London lets you know that they mean business. With celebrity customers such as Neymar Junior often found talking trainers here with the staff, and their products appearing in Vogue editorials, you will struggle to find a more knowledgeable resource for luxury sneaker know-how anywhere in London.
Footpatrol London
Footpatrol London in Berwick Street Market is certainly one for the sneakerheads who are looking for limited edition drops and rarities. With over 20 years experience in bringing fancy footwear to the capital, it now offers the chance to sign up for its Footpatrol Launches service to keep the sneaker community connected to their latest exclusive offers. The friendly staff are well versed in everything you need to know regarding innovations in performance as well as style for running shoes and sports sneakers. The blog on their website is always worth a read on the way to the store for some fascinating footwear facts and news.
BSTN
BSTN in Brixton is a concept store that shows how seriously this brand believes in the community that surrounds sneakers and street culture. Christian Boszczyk and Dusan Cvetkovic created this iconic flagship store for the German business and the setting is awe-inspiring, with stainless steel and sanded concrete creating a retro-future vibe for the sneakers to live in. It also serves as a location for workshops, charity events, and community talks to make it much more than a conventional retail space. Their motto is From the South. From the Heart and it is emblazoned on the front of the store to chime perfectly with their new home in South London.
Mr Sneaker
Mr Sneaker in Bethnal Green has a claim to be the longest standing sneaker reseller in all of the UK and Europe. Since 1984, this family-run business led by the creator, Pops, has been providing people from all over the world with special sneakers. Anthony Joshua, Rio Ferdinand, and Jamie Redknapp are all regulars with some of the most incredible trainers ever produced passing through here. The extraordinarily limited edition Nike Back to the Future trainers that Mr Sneaker sold for £30,000 are a prime example. The very fact that a deal such as this went through a small and fiercely independent shop in East London tells you all you need to know about the high regard this shop is placed in.
OG Kicks
OG Kicks on Carnaby Street in
Soho
is the brainchild of Ryan Jackson and began as a sneaker trading account on the popular resell site, Depop. It was soon clear that OG Kicks would require a physical presence to display both the sneakers he was selling and the huge amount of knowledge and experience he was accumulating on the subject. Very quickly, this expertise made OG Kicks a place worth the pilgrimage for deadstock and sold-out items that were proving difficult to find anywhere else. OG Kicks recently had their own London Fashion Week event, to showcase exclusive stock and offer a platform for young and upcoming streetwear designers.
London Sneaker Club
London Sneaker Club is the place to buy and sell the items that have earned their status as an elusive, rare, and exclusive sneaker. This is not an exercise in nostalgia, however, enthusiasts from all over the country flock here to make these sought-after gems part of a fresh and modern look. The ongoing collection of new and preowned Nike Dunks is a particular draw, with the 40-year-old influential basketball sneaker enjoying a noticeable recent renaissance. There is something for all upon these walls and a visit will always be a big tick in any Nike lover’s box.
The discovery is definitely part of the thrill whether you are a sneaker collector, an occasional enthusiast or even just someone looking for a pair of replacement running shoes. The joy of rare Jordans, the accolades of exclusive Adidas, and the perfect Pumas are all waiting for you in the sneaker shops of London.
