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How sneakers turned into a crucial fashion statement

Annabelle Steffes / Ruben Kalus / egMay 17, 2016

They are more than just a training shoe: The Hamburg exhibition "Sneakers: Design for Fast Feet" explores how the comfortable sports footwear became a fashion statement and even found its way into German politics.

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Yohgi Yamamoto sneaker, Copyright: MKG Hamburg
Image: MKG Hamburg

For more than 30 years, sport shoes have been a trend. Whether white or boldly colored, some even choose to wear them in formal settings.

German politician Joschka Fischer memorably contributed to paving the way by wearing sneakers to his official oath ceremony when he became Environment Minister in the German state of Hessen in 1985. It was considered a breach of the offical dress code in the regional parliament.

The exhibition "Sneakers: Design for Fast Feet," held at the Hamburg Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe until August 28, 2016 is the first major show in Germany to examine the phenomenon from different angles, exploring its role in youth culture, its design and marketing strategies and the collectors' scene.