Meet Athletics Footwear, the new sneaker brand shunning the hype machine – GQ UK
Wed 24 Mar
Athletics Footwear is the brainchild of Chris Kyvetos, Neil Beeson and Myles O’Meally. GQ spoke with Kyvetos to find out why there is a space for the brand in the current drop-obsessed, hype-soaked sneaker industry
For a new brand it’s difficult to make an impact in the oversaturated sneaker industry, with big players such Nike, Puma and New Balance dropping new designs daily. That being said, Athletics Footwear is a burgeoning label which might just have what it takes to cut through the noise.
Rather than focusing on creating the most technologically innovative sports shoes – or the kind of trainers that will sell out in seconds – Athletics Footwear is all about producing fuss-free, minimalistic sneakers with a retro edge.
The brand’s owners – Chris Kyvetos, founder of Sneakerboy and former Mytheresa men’s buying director; Neil Beeson, formerly of Puma; and Myles O’Meally, founder of Areté and former Nike, Alexander McQueen and Raf Simons footwear designer – are collectively striving to bring back a little simplicity to the hype-soaked sneaker market.
GQ spoke with Chris Kyvetos to discuss why he thinks there’s room for Athletics Footwear in the current market, why endless sneaker drops are no longer for him and what’s next for the brand.