The complete guide to Superga sneakers

A more than a century-old brand that focused on crafting rubber sneakers for everyday wear, Superga is one of the most underrated brands that hailed from the land of art and sterling craftsmanship, the country of Italy.

It may be rather unknown and unfamiliar to the sneakerheads and collectors who pursued mainly athletic sneakers from legendary athletes, but Superga remains to be a valuable option for countries in Europe, especially in the United Kingdom - wherein various celebrities were tapped to become brand ambassadors that promoted Superga.

Take a look back at Superga’s origins, starting from founder Walter Martiny’s humble vision to produce shoes with vulcanized soles, to the current situation of the brand among the trending hype and streetwear culture.

Origins

Founded two decades after the emergence of manufacturing rubber-soled shoes, Walter Martiny and his Italian brand Superga started producing Superga rubber shoes in 1911. It took its name from the Superga Hill in Turin, Italy and focused on creating vulcanized shoes with an insane grip.

It was a steady progress for Superga as they continued to manufacture sneakers. The brand’s breakthrough began in 1925, with the launch of the Superga 2750, one of the pioneer lifestyle classics that utilized a reinforced and hand-stitched canvas upper atop a rubber midsole and a natural vulcanized rubber outsole. The traction pattern sports a gum rubber in a rocky texture - making up for a more natural feeling when walking, which adds more comfort to the wearer.

The 2750 continued to be the brand’s most iconic model up to the present day.

Some may be familiarized with the Superga Cotu as another name for the 2750 as the model stood the test of time and remained to be available in Superga stores and other sneaker retailers.

Come 1934, the brand diversified and extended its footwear style and range. Now creating new models for various functions such as sports performance, rubber rain boots, and casual lifestyle sneakers. There were more styles and colors that made them a staple choice for daily life and activities. The 2750 has then become one of the most established silhouettes from Superga, making it a footwear sensation not only in Italy - but also across Europe.

During the start of World War II, Superga was forced to close as the growing tension between allied and enemy countries damaged both the economy and the landscapes of warzones. The brand reopened after the war and continued to dedicate crafting masterpiece after masterpiece, sticking to the renowned quality of Italian craftsmanship.

When 1951 arrived, Superga’s company merged with Pirelli, a renowned tire company based in Milan, Italy. Together, the two Italian companies increased their budget which gave them the opportunity to manufacture more footwear, specifically tennis shoes. People began taking notice of Superga’s quality, not only did it become an attention-catching shoe in Italy, but it also took on the international footwear scene with the brand’s consistent line of high-quality shoes.

Back to the 2750 model, it was still Superga’s most famous shoe, this time appearing in even more colorways while maintaining the vulcanized gum rubber outsole which gave it an identity in the first place.

1970s and beyond

Now established its reputation as a small-market powerhouse in Italy, Superga adopted the motto “People’s Shoes of Italy” as the 2750 Cotu Classic continued to spearhead the company’s footwear catalog. Nothing would beat their silhouette.

During that decade, Superga crafted more sports shoes that sported technical features for a more diverse style. It was also gaining even more traction internationally due to the 2750’s design that was way ahead of its time. Now that Superga has a respectable progress in designing and manufacturing performance and lifestyle footwear, they have decided to take things to a whole new level. They entered the apparel industry. Superga has technical shoes, rain boots made of rubber, and other athletic shoes. What’s the better way to fully match the shoes? An apparel collection that utilized fashion and function just like their iconic sneakers.

It didn’t become as successful as their footwear line, but Superga didn’t stop developing new colorways and styles as they continued to focus on their shoes - now having the confidence to be bold and try different variations thanks to the support of their merger company Pirelli - which had its own stellar success in the tire industry.

Superga actually has a rather underrated progress in making tennis shoes. The likes of Adidas’ Stan Smith and Nike’s Air Trainer 1 were a major competition due to the growing development of sneaker tech in the late 70s and all of the 80s. But Superga was just there, a vintage brand with a vintage-looking tennis shoe that was timeless for daily life.

For its price, Superga was a premium brand with an affordable price tag. That’s what made them stand out compared to the likes of other Italian brands that offered their products at a high.

Going International

Superga becoming a staple of unhyped sneaker fashion across Europe was already a given. But it has also built a lasting legacy in other continents. By the time the brand reached its centennial anniversary, Superga was an international hit as Steve Madden, an American designer, and CEO of the brand with the same name, together with his corporation, obtained distribution rights to sell and promote Superga in North America. Other creative directors joined the brand to handle its operations when Superga finally made its way to the sneaker market in the United States by 2012.

As the brand grew, they have built multiple physical stores in the United States, Europe, and even other continents such as South America, Asia, and in South Africa. They’re also available online for those who are looking for Superga sneakers but live far away from a brick-and-mortar shop.

Superga Sneaker Models in 2021

A century and a decade later, Superga has produced a wide variety of sneakers ranging from lifestyle to utility. Continue reading below to see what’s in store for the current year.

One model that will never disappear is the Superga Cotu Classic, and it will always be around until Superga lives - which is for a very very long time.

Women’s collection:

Check the ladies’ models in the collection below:

2790 LINEA UP DOWN - The 2790 is a flatform shoe that boasts its uber-thick midsole atop a vulcanized gum rubber sole. The shoe is actually low-top in build, but the thick midsole adds more to its height.

2705 High Top

Utilizes the same thick midsole found on the 2790, but this time in a boot-like high-top form for added structure and ankle restriction. Superga labels can be seen on the midsole’s heel. Imagine the Converse All-Stars with a ladies’ flatform sole. This colorway is dressed in all-white with silver eyelets for better style.

2630 COTU

The shoe sports the same canvas upper seen on other Superga Cotu models, this time appearing with a reinforced thick rubber sole that runs all the way to the toe cap. They’re inspired by safety shoes - notably seen on the rubber sole that features a vulcanized rubber sole with a rugged traction pattern.

The shoe appears in an all-white construction to keep the clean, classic look that’s prominent on Superga sneakers. The 2630 combines style and function for an effortless look suitable for every outfit in the wardrobe.

2341 Alpina Shiny Gum

Inspired by the classic but made modern, the 2341 Alpina is the perfect fashion statement for urban landscapes. Made with a cotton upper, these boots utilize a thick vulcanized sole with a lugged traction pattern for a reliable grip and added comfort anywhere and everywhere.

Who would’ve thought that boots would look this good? Only in Superga.

2750 Cotu Classic

A timeless classic that led the charge of Superga’s sneaker distribution worldwide. Enough said.

2490 Bold Organic Canvas

Part of the Organic Collection, the 2490 is composed of a unique blend between 60% organic cotton and 40% natural hemp and are manufactured in Vietnam. They are certainly vegan shoes , the vulcanized rubber soles are extracted from rubber trees in Vietnam, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Another nice detail found on the shoe is the cork insole - which is one of the most comfortable natural sockliners in shoes.

Available in a Natural Beige colorway, Superga doesn’t shy away from developing various methods to keep their sneakers cruelty-free. Other models in the Organic Collection include: 2795 Organic Canvas, 2750 Organic Cotton, 2790 Organic Herringbone, and more.

Men’s Artifact by Superga collection

Derived from the word ‘Artefatto’ meaning which is directly translated to the English word Artifact, the collection is a timeless tribute to the brand’s more than 100 years of expertise in crafting shoes. The collection is considered to be Superga’s pinnacle footwear catalog, every sneaker is designed with thorough attention to detail that improves the already stellar quality found on all of their sneakers. The sneakers are considered as an artwork apart from being a shoe with a purpose.

The Artifact by Superga includes the following models:

2434 MS Japanese Canvas

2431 W MOLESKIN

MOLESKIN Royal Blue Brown

MOLESKIN White Black

MOLESKIN Black Pirate

Superga MS Japnese Canvas

Superga MS Japanese Canvas White Mastice

These sneakers are top of the line quality, so there’s nothing else to expect but positive feedback and fulfilled experiences with the collection.

Conclusion

Maintaining the same highly respected reputation as a brand for more than a hundred years is a tough task. But for Superga, the brand took it as a challenge to showcase their mastery and craftsmanship across all of their footwear collections.