The Return of K-Swiss
Anwar Carrots & Rakeem Miles Are Bringing a 90s Staple Back in Style
Hip-hop and sneaker culture are a duo as old as time itself.
Most of the time, when people discuss the brands that Hip-hop is responsible for culturally influencing, they name the usual suspects: Adidas, Nike, and Reebok. However, K-Swiss is another brand that often flies below the radar.
For a lot of millennials, K-Swiss Classics were the back-to-school shoe you could safely wear without ridicule if you didn’t have the money for Air Force Ones or something similar.
However, like most brands that faded as the 2000s progressed, K-Swiss is back on the scene and making the right moves to reestablish itself as a competitor in the space again.
At the heart of their resurgence are two Black creatives, Anwar Carrots and Rakeem Miles, who are bringing their flair to the brand.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how K-Swiss got started, their resurgence, and the role Anwar and Rakeem are playing in it.
BACKGROUND
In 1996, Art and Ernie Brunner, two brothers from Switzerland, immigrated to California to pursue their dreams in the footwear industry.
As for the name of their footwear company?
It was a combination of K — shorthand for the Kuenzli leather used in their shoes (and also a reference to California) and Swiss — a callback to their homeland, Switzerland.
Upon arriving in Cali, the brothers, who were avid skiers, developed a liking for tennis. They decided to focus their attention on that space, using their knowledge and affinity for skiing boots as the basis for their designs.
The result of their early efforts was the K-Swiss Classic, the first all-leather tennis shoe on the market —a proper “tennis” shoe, as the name implies.
THE WEST COAST CONNECTION
With K-Swiss being founded in California, it was only natural that in the 1990s, they gained prominence as Gangsta Rap emerged into the cultural zeitgeist.
The “Classic”, their marquee silhouette from 1966, which brought the brand to fame, could now be seen on the feet of artists like Ice-T, Dr. Dre, DJ Quik, and many more.
As a side note…
They also had an impact on the East Coast, and specifically, one of the biggest producers in the game.
Multi-platinum producer Swizz Beatz actually got his name because he used to rock K-Swiss so much that even after he stopped, people in his neighborhood called him ‘Swiss’.
He turned the “S” to a “Z”, and the rest was history.
THE DECLINE
In the early 2000s, K-Swiss had marketing campaigns that resonated with consumers. In fact, many remember the “I Wear My K-Swiss” commercials fondly as a part of their childhoods.
However, no matter how cool the marketing was, the brand‘s popularity began to decline in the U.S., partly due to changes in pop culture style and an evolving sneaker landscape that was difficult to keep up with.
As Hip-hop culture made its way back to New York, the East Coast, and the South, trends from those regions became the norm, and the OG K-Swiss Classics eventually fell behind the likes of the Air Force One.
THE RESURGENCE
Fast forward to the late 2010s, and K-Swiss has been making significant efforts to re-enter the cultural conversation and win favor with both hypebeasts and sneakerheads.
In 2019, they partnered with DJ Clark Kent (RIH), one of Hip-hop's greatest sneakerheads, on a Black History Month collection: a reimagined ‘88 Classic with colors pulled from the Pan-African Flag.
Then, in 2021, K-Swiss rekindled its West Coast roots with a partnership featuring YG. This culminated in another reimagining of a classic K-Swiss Silhouette, and a content series to accompany their West Coast heritage (which also featured YG).
Bringing it to the present day…
K-Swiss recently released a 3D-printed shoe called “The Rattlesnake,” which generated buzz among Gen Z sneakerheads on TikTok and Instagram.
Moreover, the pathways they’re using to achieve their goals are through partnerships — some with culture-makers (i.e., designers, creators, etc.) and others with well-intentioned brand partners.
THE CULTURE-MAKERS
I. ANWAR CARROTS
Trenton/LA-based Creative Director Anwar Carrots has been in the fashion world for a minute, making his mark with his own brand “Carrots.”
He has also been collaborating with brands like Crocs and Walmart, helping them enter cultural conversations around sneaker culture and streetwear.
Building on a budding partnership that dates back to 2018, he has now brought his eye for design and popularity to K-Swiss as Creative Director of the K-Swiss Racquet Club, where he has applied his artistic touch to five updated silhouettes, including the KSRC-18.
See below for more:
Anwar even brought K-Swiss to Paris Fashion Week — another good look that helps put them into high-fashion conversations.
II. RAKEEM MILES
“Growing up in foster care, one of my first gifts during my adoption was a pair of orange K-Swiss shoes... The brand represents a meaningful part of my childhood and journey.” - Rakeem Miles, Nice Kicks
K-Swiss partnered with rapper Rakeem Miles for a project dubbed “Get Me Out of the Woods” — a three-shoe collection that includes a customized Marina RMX X shoe, one that had sneakerheads on social media turning their heads and asking if K-Swiss is officially back.
The collection was also supported by various pieces of social content, similar to what other category leaders are doing, including world-building stories that provide context around the sneaker creation and what inspired it.
THE BRAND PARTNERS
On the brand side, K-Swiss is still very much involved in the tennis world, but they’ve also jumped into the world of Formula 1 racing via a partnership with McLaren F1.
Throughout their Instagram page, you’ll find an abundance of content showcasing their partnership, along with a premium collection of shoes, slides, and apparel to complement it.
WHAT NOW?
We’re only halfway through the year, but K-Swiss is showing that they’re ready to jump back into the types of conversations that brought them prominence in the 90s.
They’re doubling down on creator partnerships, giving them the freedom to take the brand to new, creative places, while also staying true to their sports roots in Tennis (and now racing).
Only time will tell if these moves will be successful, but all signs point to a K-Swiss comeback.
If you’re not convinced yet, stay tuned.
As for me? I might cop some of those joints that Anwar designed - they’re fire.
One.