PRO-Keds is hoping that a modern twist to some of its classic styles such as the “Royal” canvas basketball shoe will help woo back the trendsetter.
The Stride Rite Corp. said Monday that it has reacquired its rights to the PRO-Keds brand from licensee and hip-hop mogul Damon Dash and will bring the brand back in-house.
As part of the move, PRO-Keds will undergo an overhaul to focus on classic styles – with modern styling. The new styles, whose prices range from $50 to $80, will hit stores in November. A wider collection will be available next spring.
Stride Rite said it is targeting premium stores and plans to do an exclusive limited edition collection with key fashion boutiques within a few months.
“We plan to tap our archives and reissue the classic styles with fresh new design details, and to build on the brand’s vintage position with a new brand image,” Gregg Ribatt, president and CEO of Stride Rite said in a statement. “We believe there is a strong market out there for shoes that combine old-school roots with contemporary styling.”
PRO-Keds was established in 1949 as a performance athletic footwear line primarily aimed at basketball. The first PRO-Keds style was the Royal, a classic canvas basketball shoe offered in high- and low-top versions featuring a red and blue “power stripe” adjacent to the toe.
Over the years, new styles were added across the categories of basketball, baseball, football and track.
