History of Reebok
Reebok was founded in 1958 in the United Kingdom as a companion company to J.W. Foster and Sons,
which had been making running shoes since the late 1800s. The name “Reebok” comes from the Afrikaans
spelling of “rhebok,” a type of African antelope, symbolizing speed and grace. In its early years,
Reebok focused on performance athletic footwear and gradually gained popularity in Europe. The
company made a major breakthrough in the 1980s when it entered the U.S. market and capitalized on
the aerobics boom. Their white leather sneaker, the Reebok Freestyle, became especially popular
among women and helped define workout fashion during that era.
Throughout the 1990s and early
2000s, Reebok expanded its offerings to include sportswear and collaborated with major athletes and
teams. It signed deals with the NFL and NBA and developed signature shoes for stars like Allen
Iverson. In 2005, Reebok was acquired by Adidas in a move to better compete with Nike globally.
Though Reebok’s presence in top-tier sports declined over time, it reinvented itself in the fitness
world through partnerships with CrossFit, UFC, and Les Mills. In 2021, Adidas sold Reebok to
Authentic Brands Group, and since then, the brand has been working to rebuild its identity through
retro product lines and new collaborations.