From November 6, 2026, to May 2, 2027, the Prato Textile Museum will host “Sneaker Revolution,” a major exhibition dedicated to the evolution of the sneaker, from athletic footwear to a global cultural phenomenon. Organized by the Prato Textile Museum Foundation and Beside Arts & Publishing, the exhibition is the first in Italy to explore the world of sneakers through history, culture, design, technology, fashion, music, economics, and sustainability.
In just over a century, the sneaker has crossed boundaries and worlds that seem worlds apart. Born as technical athletic footwear, it made its way onto NBA courts, became a hallmark of urban subcultures, and conquered high-fashion runways, eventually entering the halls of politics and international financial markets. This evolution has transformed a simple shoe made of rubber and fabric into a true generational symbol, as well as a collector’s item, a testing ground for technological innovation, and an accessory capable of profoundly influencing contemporary fashion.
It is precisely this transformation that is the focus of “Sneaker Revolution,” the exhibition organized by the Fondazione Museo del Tessuto in Prato and Beside Arts & Publishing. The exhibition aims to trace the history of the sneaker throughout the 20th century and the new millennium, showcasing how this footwear has also become an indicator of the social and cultural changes in contemporary society.
The exhibition project offers a multidisciplinary journey in which the history of fashion engages with design, technological innovation, sports, music, communication, fashion, economics, and sustainability. Sneakers thus become the key to understanding phenomena that have spanned different cultures, generations, and social classes. Their international success is, in fact, linked not only to the evolution of their forms and materials but also to their ability to transform into a truly universal language. From the earliest vulcanized rubber soles to the most recent experiments, the history of sneakers spans over a century of industrial and design research. Performance, aesthetics, and manufacturing innovation have progressively intertwined, placing this type of footwear at the intersection of textile culture, design, and contemporary production.
The exhibition is based on extensive research involving scholars, collectors, professionals, and international institutions. The result is a collaborative narrative built around iconic models, archival documents, and items on loan from public and private collections.
The exhibition is curated by Arianna Sarti of the Prato Textile Museum and Francesca Biagioli, founder of Beside Arts & Publishing. The catalog will also feature contributions from Gloria Maria Cappelletti, founder of Red-Eye.world and professor at NABA and the Politecnico di Milano; Nicoletta De Menna, historian and scholar of fashion, author, and host of the ANSA podcast *La Storia nell’Armadio*; Antonio Mancinelli, writer, professor, and columnist for the QN Group; Maurizio Ridolfo, author, television host, and professor at NABA Milan; and Gianluca Vitiello, radio host and expert on urban culture. The project also includes an interview with coach Dan Peterson.
Numerous sneaker models from brands that have contributed to the history and cultural imagery of the sneaker will also help tell this long-standing evolution. Among the featured brands are Allbirds, Asics, Converse, Diadora, Fila, Golden Goose, New Balance, Nike, On, Onitsuka Tiger, Puma, Reebok, Saye, and Vans. The models come from the historical collections of the Museo del Tessuto, Marco Colombo’s collection, and private collections whose owners have chosen to remain anonymous. Also of particular note are the items on loan directly from the archives of the brands involved in the project: adidas, Balenciaga, Gucci, Hogan/Tods, Lotto, Prada, and Superga.
The exhibition thus aims to compare different generations of sneakers, highlighting the evolution of materials, production techniques, shapes, and aesthetic styles that have accompanied the transformation of the shoe.
A special section is also dedicated to the theme of sustainability and new approaches to design and production. The companies Fessura, Id.Eight, Steve’s, Veja, and Yatay, involved in the exhibition project, have donated several eco-sustainable models to the Museo del Tessuto’s collections. These examples offer the opportunity to expand the narrative to include the most current challenges facing the fashion and footwear industries, demonstrating how research into materials and a focus on environmental impact are becoming increasingly central to the sector.
Accompanying the exhibition will be a catalog published by Beside Arts & Publishing, designed as an additional resource for further exploration. The volume will feature essays dedicated to the various sections of the exhibition and will include a comprehensive set of technical specifications for each model presented, offering detailed documentation of the journey through which the sneaker has evolved from a simple piece of athletic footwear to a central figure in contemporary culture.
|
| Prato Hosts Italy's First Exhibition Dedicated to Sneakers: From Athletic Shoes to a Global Cultural Phenomenon |
Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.
IT
FR
DE
ES
CN
