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.