Like many of the most popular shoes of the late 20th century, the Rivalry began its life in a sporting setting. Oi Polloi are at the casual end of the phrase Sports Casual so you can bet it wasn’t this shoe being worn on the court that first brought it to their attention.
In their own words:-
Far away from the well-buffered floors of the America’s NBA stadiums, the Rivalry became a major ingredient in the unofficial of the uniform budding thrash rockers in the cluttered garages and post-industrial wastelands of England. These long-locked teeth-grinders swerved the hairspray and tight, tiger-print pants of glam and hair metal bands in favour of what they could realistically get their hands on – washed-out jeans, battered leather jackets, white basketball shoes.
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