"42 Jackie" - A Reissue of a Long-Established Sneaker with a Focus on Detail / Connoisseur's Choice

Ballband is an American shoe brand that had disappeared from the market. While following the classic manufacturing method, they have improved the insole to make it more comfortable. These sneakers have been brought back to life in modern times by the passion of shoe producer Masaki Nagashima.

A long-established sneaker reissue with meticulous attention to detail

　The first BALL BAND store opened in Tokyo this June. While not well known in Japan, BALL BAND is a long-established shoe brand founded in 1891 in Mishawaka, northern Indiana, during the early days of sneakers. Initially, the brand produced rubber boots, but in the 1950s, its sneakers, featuring the iconic "Red Ball" logo, became a huge hit. However, as streamlining progressed in the 1970s, the company's elaborate construction no longer kept up with the times, and the brand disappeared from the market. It wasn't until 2008 that BALL BAND reappeared. Shoe producer Masaki Nagashima temporarily revived the brand after trademark registration, and a full-scale revival was achieved at an exhibition in the fall of 2017.

　Nagashima, who loved American shoes, would buy Jack Purcells, PF Flyers, Keds, and other shoes produced by BF Goodrich whenever he went on a business trip. Among them were ball-band sneakers, and he said he really liked their appearance.

　These sneakers are characterized by the vulcanization process, invented around 1840. This method involves rapidly heating and hardening liquid rubber, directly bonding materials together, making it possible to integrate dissimilar materials for the upper and sole. Compared to sneakers that use regular adhesives, these sneakers are more flexible and resistant to bending movements. However, the only drawback to this process is that the stitching tape at the flex points can easily peel off after years of wear. Therefore, for this leather model, stitching was applied to the top of the stitching tape to prevent peeling. This was possible because the factory we commissioned also produced sneakers using the opanke method (a shoemaking method in which a cup-shaped sole is sewn over the upper).

　Another distinctive feature is the triple cushion insole. While retaining the original design, it also incorporates modern comfort features, such as a mechanism that allows sweat to wick downwards. The center section is made low-rebound and the heel section is made high-rebound, making it less tiring to wear. To ensure the heel height, the insole and cup insole add 10mm of height. Incidentally, this model uses soft shrink leather for the upper rather than the standard canvas, and because it is made using a heat-treated manufacturing process, it was apparently particularly difficult to select the leather. We highly recommend these sneakers, which are simple yet have been designed with attention to detail in mind.