How Reebok Pumps Took Over the World, With Inventor Paul Litchfield | The Complex Sneakers Show

Paul Litchfield is a mad scientist, a shoe dog with decades of experience, and the innovator who created the original Reebok Pump. In this episode, he talks about his long history in footwear and the Pump’s iconic lineage from Dee Brown and Dominique Wilkins to Jackie Chan and John Cena. Litchfield, a fireball of Irish-American energy, has truly seen it all in sneakers. Lately he’s been making footwear at GoRuck, a company that’s laser-focused on legit training gear. Ahead of the Litchfield interview, cohosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty talk about the return of the “Flu Game” Air Jordan 12, the Nina Chanel Abney x Air Jordan 3, and the “Metallic” Air Jordan 5 retro. 0:00 - 1:12: Intro 1:13 - 2:41: Episode Topics 2:42 - 5:40: Air Jordan 12 “Flu Game” is Returning 5:41 - 9:43: LeBron’s “Vote Back” Sneakers 9:44 - 11:51: UConn Huskies National Championship 11:52 - 14:18: A Ma Maniere x Air Jordan 3 14:19 - 16:25: Air Jordan 5 “Black Metallic” Retro 16:26 - 17:54: WrestleMania 2024 17:55 23:04: Nina Chanel Abney x Air Jordan 3 Collab 23:05 - 23:48: Paul Litchfield Joins the Podcast 23:49 - 25:03: Sneaker Cam 25:04 40:29: Story Behind Inventing the Reebok Pump 40:30 - 44:39: Advertising the Reebok Pump 44:40 -46:33: Reebok Shaq Attaq 46:34 - 49:53:The Reebok Pump’s Influence on Pop Culture 49:54 - 49:55: Creating the Reebok Instapump Fury 53:40 - 55:36: Working with Jackie Chan and 50 Cent 55:37 - 56:45: Chanel x Reebok Instapump Fury 56:46 - 1:00:17: