Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street, 2023, installation veiw. Photo: Ed Reeve. Courtesy: HOTA Gallery, Surfers Paradise.

Step into HOTA Gallery this summer as Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street charts the design and cultural journey of sneakers. Discover the footwear phenomenon that’s challenged performance design, inspired subcultures, and shaken the world of fashion.

From trainers originally designed for specific athletic activities like the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star, the Puma Disc, and Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next%, discover how sneakers like the Reebok InstaPump Fury, the Vans Half Cab, and the Asics Gel Lyte III have become cultural symbols of our times.

You’ll be taken on a journey into the design process behind today’s most inventive shoes, and delve into the lucrative resale market, before reliving the high-fashion reinvention of sneakers by Balenciaga, Comme des Garçons, and Y-3.

Uncover the icons and collaborations that have shaped the sneaker scene over the years from Michael Jordan to Run-DMC, experience visuals and graphic work, and discover the designers working to make the industry more sustainable.