Reebok

Reebok the brand

The name Reebok comes from the Afrikaans word for the grey rhebok, a type of Afrikan antelope. An Anglo-American brand that originated as a footwear company in 1900 by J.W. Foster, starting from Bolton, Lancashire, England. J. W. Foster started cobbling shoes at 14 and designed some of the earliest spiked running shoes. Later in 1958, his grandsons reorganized into Reebok; over the following decades the brand became one of the most known sportswear brands in the world. This worldwide recognition was achieved with the help of Paul Fireman, who took on the distribution of the USA segment and making it a huge success. The production range also increased many fold, from just shoes to athletic wear as well. Today Reebok is the official apparel sponsor for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), CrossFit and Spartan Race. Also sponsoring kits for the Indian Premier League (IPL). In the past, they have also been partnered with the National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), Major League Baseball (MLB),  National Hockey League (NHL),  Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Canadian Football League (CFL). The athletes of note Reebok has endorsed include Venus Williams, Thierry Henry, Ryan Giggs, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Allen Iverson, Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Peyton Manning. Aside from their athletic endorsements Reebok also has cultural icons representing their brand. The list of these celebrities is long but the more known names have included 50Cent, Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys, Ariana Grande, Gigi Hadid, Victoria Beckham and Cardi B. As of 2005, Adidas is the owner of Reebok, although both operate separately.

Products at Reebok

Starting at the most basic sporting requirement, a pair of good shoes, Reebok today is a whole catalogue of sportswear. The shoe segment has different designs depending on the activity you are picking shoes for. Unlike Adidas and Nike, the sport-specific shoes here are fewer, the Reebok focus is on training. The apparel available is also designed for fitness-related activities such as the gym or yoga. With pants, leggings, T-shirts, vests, gloves, underwear and more. All the items you would need to be doing well in a goal-oriented fitness environment. Reebok also adorns an accessory section that includes sunglasses, water bottles, bags, hats, yoga mats and a few other items as well.

Designs and material

The Reebok design is very functional and sleek. Trim designs that are comfortable are important as when one is exercising anything that is not needed is essentially in the way. The colour variety is wide, lots of funky and bright colours but at the same time a lot of black and white too. The new logo is simple and lean, adding to the form of their overall design gamut. As with most sportswear brands Reebok also uses top-end synthetics to build their design into. The materials are breathing more and are more resilient, with continuous improvement at a micro-level. New weaves and texture layers are introduced relatively regularly. All the different products are using materials that are the top quality available in their separate production areas.

Collaborations over time

Reebok has collaborated with many different artists and celebrities over the years to produce a variation in their lines. The general collaborating they have partaken in is related to shoes. The 'S. Carter Collection by Rbk' done in collaboration with Jay-Z was the first time they partnered with a non-athlete. The line had the most successful sales rate in the brand's history. Reebok has also partnered with 50Cent to release shoes under his 'G-Unit' crew name. Scarlett Johansson did a line of clothing and footwear with Reebok as part of the Rbk Lifestyle Collection, called 'Scarlett Hearts'. Long-time partner Victoria Beckham launched a collection inspired by Shaquille O'Neal. Haitian-American designer Kerby Jean-Raymond founded Pyer Moss in 2013, he has a line in partnership called 'Reebok by Pyer Moss'. Reebok and LesMills also have a collaborative line. The most high-end collaboration has been with Emporio Armani, a line under the label 'EA7'. EA7 was the official outfitter for the Italian athletes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The price range varies within the different lines at Reebok, but generally, high-end prices are to be expected.