Reebok Alter the Iconic Classic Leather

Inspired by the booming aerobics industry of the era (perfectly and coincidentally timed with the debut of the insanely popular Jane Fonda’s Workout series of VHS tapes), California sales rep Angel Martinez came up with the idea for Reebok to craft a shoe that was specifically designed for the casual workouts. The resulting Freestyle flew in the face of the pavement pounders that dominated the market and not only came in both low- and high-top form for women, but featured supple nylon-backed glove leather construction with towel-style terry lining. 

The slick, unique build was scooped up by the masses, and proved to be so popular that Reebok elected to bring the winning formula to the ultra-competitive realm of running footwear just one year later.

Thus, the Classic Leather was born. Like the Freestyle (and its single-strapped, male-centric counterpart, 1983’s EX-O-Fit), the Classic Leather was the antithesis of the mesh- and suede-based runners of Reebok’s competitors, opting instead for that same supremely durable glove leather construction and terry lining. As you might expect, the clean lines and leather build of the silhouette made it perfectly suited for the style conscious, but make no mistake: the Classic Leather was a formidable performance runner in its own right. In addition to the supportive upper, the design also employed a dual-density midsole for shock protection and stability, not to mention a set of perfectly-placed perforations across the toe box for ventilation.

The kicks found their place on the streets, and are probably the earliest example of a trainer becoming an immediate staple both in the gym and on the pavement. Hip hop heads on both sides of the Atlantic rocked the Classic Leather from the get-go, and Reebok’s cheeky ‘You’ve Arrived’ ad campaign from 1983 only fuelled the hype. Fast forward a few short years and Reebok were similarly successful with a string of additional glove-leather-and-terry follow-ups: the Workout. This debuted in both low- and mid-top form in 1984, the Newport Classic (aka the NPC) and Phase 1 took to the tennis court in 1985, and the Revenge Plus (aka the Club C) perfected the look shortly after. But, all these years later, and the Classic Leather is the one that remains the standard for Reebok Classic, and the most quintessentially Reebok silhouette the brand has ever released.