For as long as I can remember, when I thought of sneakers and fashion, adidas and Nike ruled the roost.  Whether that be Y3 (where a bag costs more than a new car), its work with Stella McCartney or even the new brand link with Star Wars (wouldn’t you have loved to be in the meeting where they came up with that idea!), adidas has always brought new thinking to the sneaker-freaks.  And then there is Nike;  they have stamped their name on fashionable classics such as the 180, Michael Jordan and even Air Force One (I have three pairs of those bad boys).  That combined with limited stocks of shoes by Kanye West and the like, has made the name strongly associated with credible, opinion forming fashion.

Then we come to Reebok.  Reebok, in my opinion has always been on the funny side of fashion – yes they are worn by every La Roux look-a-like in Hoxton who doesn’t remember Flash Dance was a film, not a lifestyle and yes, they are kind of cool now but why?  Is it because the trainers they created are such must-haves that people will do anything for them… hmmm, I think not.  In my opinion, Reebok has never really got it quite right.  They are the reliable friend of the geek-chic (and while, on occasion, I would confess to being a little geeky, I still very rarely opt for a Reebok shoe).  The friend of the non-conformist and while that does have its place, it is never going to bank-roll the private Island you had your eye on.

That, however could be about to change.  The collaboration with Emporio Armani, launched at the Emporio Menswear Show in Milan on Saturday with a dozen semi naked men in trainers (another meeting I would have loved to have been in) finally looks like a game changer for the sneaker giant.  A very subtle appearance by the man himself, Mr A, was a public statement that the range was fully integrated and ready to make a splash and not a flash-in-the-pan PR campaign.  Will there be a celebrity filled advertising campaign?  I hope not but what this collaboration does deliver, is an excuse for those who wear their labels on the outside to sport Reebok once again.  PRO’s can learn from this type of collaboration.  Rather than going for the easy-buck, quick fix, try and deliver something more sustainable which will have a greater impact on the brand overall.  This is the type of partnership we should all be looking to deliver.  I myself will be first in line to pick up a pair of the black classic sneaker-shoes with blue rubber soles..  Welcome back Reebok, I’ve missed you!