Seventeen years after its original publication, Art & Sole returns in an expanded, updated edition, capturing the evolution of sneaker culture with the same sharp eye for artistry and design that made the first edition essential reading for sneakerheads everywhere.
Author Nathan Gale began documenting sneaker design in the mid-2000s as a way to explore the intersection of contemporary art, design and fashion. “It was a golden era for brands such as Nike SB,” he explains. “Jeff Staple’s Nike Dunk Low Pro SB ‘Pigeon’ was released in 2005, and projects such as Nike’s 2006 Festival of Air, held in NikeTown London just around the corner from where I was working at the time, were very inspirational.”
In her foreword for the new edition, sneaker designer Nicole McLaughlin observes, “Sneakers are more than just footwear. They’re a canvas, a cultural artifact and a statement of identity for many.” This perspective has always driven Gale’s passion project, and it’s evident here in the way he once again blends the personal and the cultural, showing why sneakers continue to resonate with serious collectors and casual wearers alike.
All images © Laurence King Publishing
Initially, the plan was to append 60 pages of new content to the original, but Gale quickly realised that nearly two decades of developments demanded a more substantial overhaul. “We’ve edited some of the original content to make way for some of the biggest and most interesting projects that have happened since 2008,” he says. The book retains its two-part structure: the first section showcases artist and designer sneaker collaborations, while the second highlights sneaker-inspired art.
So, what has changed in sneaker culture over the past 17 years? Gale identifies several key shifts. “When we first came up with the concept for Art & Sole, sneaker culture was still a somewhat hidden world that had to be searched out and discovered. That has changed dramatically, and the sneaker market has become a far more globalised industry – it’s now much harder to find product variation in stores country-to-country.”
Gale also notes that social media has given artists unprecedented freedom to showcase their work, further accelerating the pace of cultural exchange. Other big changes include “the advent of raffles and raffle bots, ‘flipping’ and resale marketplaces such as StockX and GOAT, as well as the much-needed consideration from brands when it comes to sustainability, which is going to drive the most interesting collaborations in the future.”
Sustainability features prominently in this edition, aligning with McLaughlin’s focus. Gale points to several projects that address environmental concerns, including Helen Kirkum’s consciously crafted footwear, Steven Harrington’s Nike Earth Day collection and McLaughlin’s multi-functional designs for Reebok, Vans and Puma. “The sheer scale of the sneaker industry today means environmental factors are now major drivers in product development,” he says.
With 40 new artists and 400 new images, Gale admits the selection process was far from easy: “There were some names that simply had to be in the updated version – artists such as Kaws, Tom Sachs, Shantell Martin, Geoff McFetridge, Haroshi, Coolrain Lee, Mschf, Studio Hagel, Lorenz.Og and Steph Morris.” Many artists from the original edition, including Dave White, Futura, Stash and Parra, have received comprehensive updates. Space constraints inevitably led to other deserving projects being left out – though Gale teases that there’s enough material to fill another book.
Looking ahead, he sees technology, sustainability and material innovation continuing to shape the culture. “When the first book was released, it was impossible to predict the development of digital collectibles, and although interest in NFTs has dwindled, it’s still an area that has great potential for artists and designers.” Quoting the original introduction, he concludes: “Whatever direction the culture takes us in, it seems that the relationship between art, design and the sneaker will continue to evolve and blossom.”
Art & Sole is out now via Laurence King; laurenceking.com