PF Flyers: История американского бренда обуви

American lifestyle shoe brand

PF Flyers is an American brand of lifestyle shoes owned by Kassia Designs, LLC. Founded in 1937 by B. F. Goodrich, it is one of the original American sneaker brands.

In 1933, inventor Hyman L. Witman and rubber manufacturing company B. F. Goodrich patented the "Posture Foundation" arch support insole, and began adding the new technology to its shoes. B. F. Goodrich shoes with Posture Foundation became known simply as "PF" in 1937. In 1935, Canadian badminton player Jack Purcell designed a low, white bleached badminton shoe made of canvas and rubber for B. F. Goodrich. Named after Purcell, it featured a blue "smile" across the toe of the shoe and provided more protection for the court. By 1944, PF Flyers released their first kids' collection, and created the slogan, "Run Faster, Jump Higher". PF Flyers then fell into obscurity, dormant from 1975 to 2000. The brand was first sold to P&F Industries, Inc, then to the Brookfield Athletic Shoe Company. In 1988, Hyde Athletic Industries Inc. (now known as Saucony), planned to relaunch the PF Flyers brand through the acquisition of the Brookfield Athletic Shoe Company Inc., by first marketing the brand for kids before producing adult models. In 1991, LJO Inc. acquired the brand. Despite the split and selling of both companies, Converse kept the rights of the Jack Purcell line of shoes from the PF Flyers acquisition. Rebranded with the Converse name, Jack Purcell sneakers are still produced today. In 2001, New Balance purchased PF Flyers and re launched the brand in 2003. On 12 January 2021, New Balance confirmed that the PF Flyers brand had been discontinued. On 21 July 2021, Kassia Davis, the founder of clothing brand KADA, acquired PF Flyers from New Balance, and will be operating under Kassia Designs, LLC.