Nike

Nike is brand that should need no introduction but we'll tell you why we like it anyway. Taking its name from the Greek goddess of victory Nike was founded under the name 'Blue Ribbon Sports' in 1964. The famous 'swoosh' logo appeared in 1971 while the actual Nike brand name didn't follow until 1978. Despite being a relatively young company their influence on sports footwear has been huge. Their 'Waffle' design came about when head honcho Bill Bowerman had the brainwave to fill his wife's waffle iron with liquid urethane. That's not a euphemism by the way. From that point on, Nike rose to prominence and made a procession of ace footwear including some iconic, enduring designs.