The retail auction site curated a collection of some of the greatest footwear brought to life for women.
As Women’s History Month gets underway, eBay seeks to shine a light on the many women who have made their mark in footwear over the years. From designers to athletes, engineers to execs, many of the industry’s most iconic moments and models were driven by women. However, their impact is often overshadowed in the hype.
In celebration of the game changers that have penned pairs and lent legwork to a legion of hits over the years, eBay has compiled a curated landing page connecting several of the top woman-steered sneakers, all in one place.
The longtime marketplace is dubbing it the Trailblazers Collection.
“From innovative designs to milestone partnerships that changed the game, this collection honors the women who have propelled the sneaker industry forward for decades,” said Charis Marquez, eBay North America’s VP of Fashion.
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A Classic Collection
Amongst the batch of shoes highlighted is, of course, the Air Swoopes 2 Retro, the first women’s signature sneaker series of WNBA pioneer Sheryl Swoopes and the first women’s signature shoe to be retroed. Her entire series was also designed by a woman: Marni Gerber.
Other pairs include fashion silo staples, such as the Adidas UltraBoost 22 by Stella McCartney, Casablanca x New Balance 327 by Charlotte Lee, and additional collabs styled by Comme des Garçons.
But not all of the selections are for women alone. Shaquille O’Neal emerged from his No. 1 overall selection in the 1992 Draft as a larger-than-life character with a signature shoe deal with Reebok. Judy Close designed his debut shoe.
Women’s Impact on the Culture
“Female contributions to sneaker culture are often overlooked and, despite being passionate sneakerheads, many women feel their voices aren’t heard,” added Marquez. “We wanted to spotlight and celebrate these women who have positively impacted the community.”
One of the most mythical footwear designs of all time was the Nike MAG, initially made as just a movie prop for Back To The Future 2. When designer Tinker Hatfield looked to make the shoe a reality in the late 2000s, he entrusted Nike Innovation Kitchen engineer Tiffany Beers to re-create the design in 2011 and bring to life a working power-laces system in 2016.
Also incorporated into the collection is the Air Jordan II Retro “Violette.” Designed by Vashtie Kola in 2010, the shoe was the first Air Jordan collaboration for women.
“When the ‘Violette’ Air Jordan II Retro was released over 10 years ago, it was a truly groundbreaking moment – no other woman had ever designed a Jordan sneaker,” said Kola. “It’s an honor to be among this incredible group of women who have had such a prolific impact on sneaker culture.”
As March continues to unfold, eBay has additional plans to roll out giveback elements and continue to highlight women that have both paved a path across the footwear industry and continue to make an imprint today.
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