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the First Athletic Brand
How APL Became the First Athletic Brand Inducted Into the CFDA
It’s no easy feat to be accepted into the CFDA. Designers must fill out
forms, receive recommendations from industry insiders and, of course, impress
the major decision-making members.
So when APL, a sneaker label, received the CFDA’s accreditation, it was
reason for celebration. The brand was founded in 2009 by Adam and Ryan Goldston,
identical twins who were college athletes, playing football and basketball at
USC. “We aren’t the tallest guys in the world, so we wanted to create a shoe
that could make you jump higher,” the wrote to the Observer via email. “We
conceptualized our first sneaker, the Concept 1, in our dorm room and in 2010 it
became the first shoe to ever be banned from the NBA for providing the wearer
with an ‘undue competitive advantage.'” Needless to say, since the day APL
jogged onto the scene, they’ve been tagged as a brand to watch.
APL, by the way, stands for Athletic Propulsion Labs. As you might guess,
their name alludes to the fact that these knit kicks are more than just pretty
sneakers. Or comfy shoes to wear while running errands. They happen to actually
be pretty technical, but they still come in metallic, pastel and neon
iterations. The Goldstons have registered a number of U.S. and foreign patents
for their various footwear inventions. For example, their patented Propelium
cushioning promises to “maximize energy generation,” while also being
comfortable and supportive. And each TechLoom shoe is created from a single
piece of woven, seamless fabric that offers support, breathability, flex and
strength, where needed.
“Certainly our patented technology speaks for itself, but we also wanted to
join it with style and performance as well. We strive to create products that
let the design, technologies, materials, and colors tell the story, not big
emblazoned logos,” the Goldstons said. Their smart combination of performance
and fashion has landed them collaborations with brands like Creatures of the
Wind. Perhaps more importantly, it has placed them in the good grace of the
Kardashian/Jenner family.
Nearly every member of the family has posted on Instagram or Snapchat an
image of their APL collection. Seriously, their support has sparked headlines
such as “The Kardashian Family’s Favorite Sneakers: APL.” As the sisters (and
mom Kris) are known as fashion plates, but are still dedicated to grueling
fitness regimes, their adoration of APL makes sense. Which sister owns the most
APL styles? Khloé and Kourtney, the Goldstons postulate. “Their support is
unbelievable…Their support has been fantastic for us because it comes from a
real place, they truly love the product and that’s why they always wear it,”
they wrote.
The CFDA’s support is also a major moment for the brothers. “We have felt for
a long time that fashion is becoming more casual and performance-focused in
terms of the textiles, the fits and the technology, and that performance was
becoming more fashion-focused…The fashion industry has been very supportive of
our brand and an important part of our business,” they said. While performance
sneakers might not enthuse any average fashionista, APL LUX certainly will. This
range is handcrafted in Italy, by renowned footwear artisans and rafted from
suede and leather. They feature intricate details such as quilted exteriors,
laser cut logos and waxed cotton, making them much fancier than a plain old
Nike.
But hold on, what ever happened to their shoes that were banned by the NBA?
First of all, they were banned for their Load ‘N Launch technology, as it
apparently offered an “undue competitive advantage.” Player were given a
vertical boost in the shoe’s compression springs, but apparently the assist was
just too great for the NBA to allow. However, as the saying goes, any press is
good press. The APL duo agrees that the statement applies in this case. The day
the news broke about the ban, it was the number one news story in the world;
within 10 days, there were 1 million articles written about it.
“It changed the course of our business and gave us the platform we needed to
promote and build our brand,” said the Goldston’s. And now, as fashion darlings,
Kardashian favorites and still go-tos for amateur and professional athletes, APL
keeps building and growing.
