Pony - A long and rich history, full of successes.
The erosion of time means that deeds from the past are sometimes overlooked by the new generations. The brand I'm talking about today was at the top of the world during the 70s and 80s, both in the sports segment and in the fashion world, and it wants to get back to that position. I'm talking about PONY .
Product Of New York , or PONY , was founded by Uruguayan Roberto Muller, but this was not his first experience in the fashion world. Graduated from the University of Leeds in Chemical and Textile Engineering, a young Roberto Muller started his career at Dupont in Argentina, assuming the position of General Manager at the age of 26. Shortly afterwards, he was chosen to assume the position of President of Levi Strauss in Argentina, having evolved within the company's staff and being linked to projects such as the launch of the brand's sneakers in Australia, one of the successes of the American brand.
After his experience at Levi Strauss, he left to found PONY in 1972 and made it a worldwide phenomenon, as its products could be seen on the feet of Muhammad Ali, Sylvester Stallone and Pelé, as well as wearing the main teams and practitioners of Boxing , Football, Basketball, Tennis, Baseball, American Football and other sports.
With many innovative products and designs as we will see below, I have to highlight the shoes of the famous player Spudd Webb, which was the first shoe to have an integrated air box with a valve that could be inflated up to 40 PSI.
Iconic Models
The Starter Hi and Lo model was released in 1975 as a basketball shoe and is one of the brand's simplest models. It still exists today, having been renamed Topstar and is available at the Saga Retail Store .
The Court Hi model is a basketball model released in 1982 built in canvas with a rubber sole with a reinforcement in the front.
The Slam Dunk Hi is a cousin of the Court Hi, having also been launched in 1982, differing in the tongue and rubber sole used. The rest is pretty similar between the two models.
The Linebacker was launched in 1983 when PONY wanted to beef up their synthetic grass shoe offering. With a very strong sole and a protective visor similar to that of golf shoes, this model was a success due to its connection to the NFL.
The Cricket was released in 1983 and it's not hard to guess that it's an all-white version of the Linebacker.
Launched the year after the Court Hi, the Pro 80 came out in hi and lo format, replacing the canvas used in the Slam Dunk Hi and Court Hi with white leather with the chevron on the side in suede or leather. This model is available for purchase at your Saga Retail Store .
Another model with a taller barrel than the Pro 80 was also released in 1983 and called the Pro 90.
PONY entered the running race of the 70's with the Montreal and Racer model, followed by the Joggy models and the second evolution of the Racer in the 80's . In your Saga Retail Store you'll find the Racer III and Racer IV .
The Baseline model was launched in 1982 to satisfy tennis and basketball customers, something that today would be impossible to imagine. A very simple sneaker that stands out for its reinforcement on the front and serrations where the shoelaces come into contact with the shoe.
#1 is a fantastic name for a basketball shoe. Launched in 1982, this hightop model has a beautiful sole with a gum rubber detail.
A cousin of the Stud model, the Astro Leather was launched in 1984 and was intended for sports on synthetic turf. With a rubber outsole with multiple studs and a leather upper.
In 1986, PONY launched the City Wings in a hi and lo version, a model that became quite famous with Basketball player Spud Webb.
Aerobic fever took the world by storm and in 1985 PONY launched the Retton Hi, a model aimed at women.
Launched in 1985, the same year the Jordan 1 was released, the Profile model by PONY is a leather hightop with a rubber sole.
The MVP, also a leather high top with a rubber sole, was made to be worn by Earl “the Pearl” Monroe, one of the athletes who signed with PONY.
The Steeler is one of the most famous boot models PONY has released over the years.
With the arrival of the 90s, the public asked for increasingly bold designs. PONY responded with the M-100 and M-110 models.
In 2012 the brand launched a special edition of the Slam Dunks with Ricky Powell, the “Do You”.
In the same year, creative twins Dee and Ricky also released their Slamdunk Hi and NYC Topstar Lo, part of the Urban Jungle capsule collection. Later they would launch another collaboration with two colors of the M-100 and two of the TrackitBack, a model more destined for the mountain.
Other collaborations have emerged in recent years with names such as Rothco, Art Comes First, Ronnie Fieg, Smiley, Foot Patrol, Colette, Atmos, Overkill, UBIQ, Yong Bae Seok among others.
