History of the Onitsuka Tiger brand
What is the history of the Onitsuka Tiger brand? The first product of this brand was a basketball shoe that looked more like a straw sandal. Unfortunately, these shoes did not break through, Onitsuka was forced to redesign the shoes. In 1952, he created more efficient shoes , which soon became popular throughout Japan. In 1953, Onitsuka Tiger began working with marathon runner Toru Terasawa to develop running shoes that would prevent long-distance runners from developing blisters. In 1958, short-distance runner Oliver Skilton also wore this type when he won bronze at the Continental European Games.
In 1955, the company expanded its business to 500 sports stores throughout Japan. In 1959, the brand launched the Magic Runner with improved ventilation technology to prevent blisters for improved comfort. Onitsuka Tiger Co. Ltd and Philip Knight, together with Bill Bowerman, negotiated a deal in Japan, knowing that their products had a market place in the US as well. In 1963, Knight received his first shipment of Tiger shoes, and later he and Bowerman invested $500 each to create Blue Ribbon Sports (later known as Nike, Inc.), which subsequently went independent with production.
In the 1970s, Onitsuka Tiger equipped basketball players. In 1977, all of the company's Onitsuka Tiger sports brands were merged into one Asics brand. The brand was re-launched independently in 2002, thanks to the new retro sneaker trend. In 2003, Uma Thurman in Kill Bill wore yellow Onitsuka sneakers with black stripes along with the popular yellow outfit. By 2007, the brand had opened 23 separate stores.
In 2008, Onitsuka Tiger introduced the premium Nippon Made series. In 2009 to celebrate their 60th anniversary, Onitsuka Tiger released their history book: Made in Japan. In 2015, Onitsuka Tiger teamed up with American design company Bait to create the Bruce Lee shoe collection. In 2017, the brand's sales grew by 20% to ¥31.9 billion.
Since Onitsuka Tiger was founded in 1949, shoes have been created for a variety of sports: football, running, martial arts, basketball, cheerleading, volleyball, cross-training, athletics, wrestling, golf , cricket, fencing and tennis. The most famous model of Onitsuka Tiger shoes are the Mexico 66 Line. It was first introduced at the Olympic trial for the Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
