Born from sport,
shaped by the street

1949–1970s—
All Pros, No Cons

PRO-Keds pioneered the performance basketball shoe as we know it. It all started in 1949 with the introduction of the Royal Lo, which immediately established a new standard for athletic footwear. Worn and endorsed by the basketball greats of the day, PRO-Keds became established as the professional basketball shoe of choice. Later on, a high-top version, the Royal Hi, hit the scene and was just as much of a hit as it’s low-top brother.

1970s–1980s—
The First “Must Have” Sneaker

With the release of the Super, a.k.a. the 69er, PRO-Keds started gaining major street cred. Rocked by hip hop originators and style icons throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, PRO-Keds had a lock on NY street style, but that didn’t mean they relinquished their crown on the court. Enter the Royal Plus: a fresh, bold new look that featured the (now signature) PRO-Keds twin power stripes on the upper. This made them instantly recognizable and became an iconic part of the uniforms of the biggest pro-ball superstars of the time.

1990s-2000s—
A Certifiable Old-School Standard

On the other side of the globe, PRO-Keds launched the Court King tennis shoe, which caused a major sensation in Japan with their rainbow of colorfully dipped toes to choose from. In the mid-2000s, PRO-Keds captured the attention of sneakerheads around the world with exclusive collaborations with some of the hottest names like Faile (a Brooklyn-based artistic collaboration) and Patta (a high-end Dutch sneaker boutique).

Now—
Simplicity as Sophistication

Stylish and sleekly refined, PRO-Keds have come to symbolize a simpler age when authenticity was all that matters. Today, we’ve enhanced the look and feel of our time-honored styles—enhanced fit, modern materials, and the most-wanted colors and prints —while maintaining the signature look that’s made them so covetable for so long. We’re dedicated to maintaining the same authenticity that made our brand the cultural icon it is today, calling upon those with a challenger spirit to walk with us.