Pro-Keds were introduced in 1949 with their flagship sneaker design, The Royal, available in a high and low version. The brand went on to enjoy great success until the mid 1980s when the brand fell out of favor.
In 2005, after a dormant period of nearly twenty years, the Stride-Rite Corporation entered a joint venture with manufacturer and distributor Tom Nastos and hip hop entrepreneur Damon Dash to relaunch the Pro-Keds brand.
Since coming back to life, the brand has released a number of innovative sneaker concepts. Their scented line of sneakers were one such concept and included coconut, watermelon and lifesaver sneakers that included unique colorways to match the style of their scents. There has also been a line of retro video game shoes inspired by early classics like Pac Man, Centipede, Asteroids and Galaga.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Keds introduced a line of athletic shoes called Pro-Keds. The first Pro-Keds product was the Classic Royal. Pro-Keds were worn by some of the biggest names in basketball history and professional sports. Some of those infamous athletes included Nate Archibald, Kareem Abdul Jabar and Pete Maravich.
The brand also attained a cult status style amongst New York City's original hip-hop community as the first real sneakers with style.
Pro-Keds continues to incorporate fresh and unique designs in its athletic footwear. Recently, the brand developed lines with some of today’s most sought-after contemporary artists for a limited edition series of sneakers.
