Fashion & Beauty

Stan Smith: Some People Think I'm A Shoe

The first definitive volume that celebrates the best-selling Adidas sneaker with a cultlike global following. Featuring original imagery, historical photos, an exclusive portrait series by artist Juergen Teller, and contributions from style arbiters such as Raf Simons and Pharrell, plus aninterview and anecdotes from the man behind the sneaker, Stan Smith.

An internationally celebrated and highly coveted icon in the world of sneaker design, the Stan Smith tennis sneaker has achieved cult status since its debut in the early 1970s. This is the first book to celebrate the global cultural impact of the ubiquitous sneaker named after former world No. 1 tennis player Stan Smith.

Over the last five decades, the Stan Smith has remained the perennial icon of minimalist cool sneaker design and Smith has collaborated with groundbreaking artists, designers, and fashion brands including Colette, Yohji Yamamoto, Raf Simons, and Pharrell.

This all-access volume demonstrates that the personality of the shoe has everything to do with Stan the Man. Chapters are enhanced by recollections from Stan Smith along with anecdotes from style influencers, designers, sports legends, and fervent sneaker fans. Showcasing street-style photography of Stan Smith sworn globally, to pop-culture references of the sneaker in rap lyrics to Bollywood movies—this book is an absolute collector’s item for readers interested in sneaker culture, sports, street style, design, and pop culture.

About The Author

Stan Smith is a former world No. 1 American tennis player and two-time Grand Slam singles champion. Richard Paul Evans is a sports journalist and author who has covered the biggest tennis moments since the 1960s. Pharrell Williams is a multi-platinum recording artist, eleven-time Grammy winner, and Stan Smith collaborator.

  • Publish Date: August 24, 2018
  • Format: Hardcover
  • Category: Design - Fashion & Accessories
  • Publisher: Rizzoli
  • Trim Size: 8-5/8 x 12-5/8
  • Pages: 336
  • US Price: $65.00
  • CDN Price: $85.00
  • ISBN: 978-0-8478-6274-0

Reviews

"The Stan Smith sneaker came out in the 1970s and is still ubiquitous. With a foreword by Pharrell Williams, and street style photos galore, "Stan Smith: Some People Think I'm a Shoe" is a love letter to both the shoe and the man for whom it’s named." — New York Times


"With adidas Originals’ Stan Smith having a good claim to be the world’s most famous sneaker, Rizzoli went deep on the sneaker with this book, released earlier this year. The book itself is written by Stan Smith, the former number one USA tennis player who is now best known for his signature sneaker. Complete with contributions from Raf Simons, Pharrell and more, the book focuses on how a tennis shoe released in the early 1970s became one of the most important sneakers ever seen." —Hypebeast

"Smith’s brilliantly titled tome charts the meteoric rise of his iconic tennis sneaker, complete with historical photos, treatises from style mavens like Raf Simmons and Pharrell and an exclusive portrait series shot by artist Juergen Teller. But the recollections and anecdotes from Stan the Man himself provide wonderful insight into the former world champ and the era in which he played as well."
Inside Hook

Author Bookshelf: Stan Smith

Author Bookshelf: Richard Evans

Author Bookshelf: Pharrell Williams