THE 1950S

By the early 1950s, surfing can be traced as the source of skateboarding. Some surfers had the idea to transfer the feeling of riding waves onto the streets to defy times of days with a gentle swell. Not without any reason these dudes were called “asphalt surfers”. At two spots in the world a kind of a skateboard was developed at the first time in the early 1950s: California and Hawaii. They used shorter surfboards and wheels made out of metal without some bearings. In the late 1950s, skateboarding had a first peak. During the post-war period, the U.S. economy boomed and this also affected the toy industry. During that time, the toy industry became aware of the board with wheels. In 1959, Roller Derby released the first official skateboard with some new technical developments. Thereby, the handling characteristics have been improved. For this reason, skateboarders were able to develop new tricks and maneuvers.

THE 1960S

Between the years 1959 and 1965, skateboarding became more and more popular in the United States. Particularly affected were the states on the east and west coasts. Due to the industrial development, the skateboard’s status changed from toy to sports equipment. In 1962, the surf shop “Val-Surf” in Hollywood sold the first self-produced skateboards. These boards featured a typical surfboard shape and roller skate trucks and were sold as complete boards. In the same year, the company Patterson Forbes developed the first industrially produced complete boards with more developed trucks. In 1963, the publisher of the “Surf Guide Magazine” Larry Stevenson released the first advertisement for skateboards in his magazine. Also the clothing industry specialized more and more on skateboarding. One of the most famous skateboarding shoe brand named Vans was established in 1966. From this day on, Vans supported skateboarders from all over the world. Especially shoe companies like Vans, Etnies, Converse and DC Shoes developed and manufactured skateboarding related footwear and streetwear.

Another landmark event in 1963 was the first skate contest in Hermosa Beach, California. Skateboarding was not just cruising anymore. Skateboarders showed their skills in different disciplines like slalom or freestyle and companies started to assemble a team to sponsor the riders. As the popularity of skateboarding began to expand, the first skateboarding magazine “The Quarterly Skateboarder” was published in 1964.

A next big step was the further development of the shape of the boards. Larry Stevenson invented the “kicktail“, and with it came a lot more possibilities to ride a skateboard.

THE 1970S

The only consistent thing is change and so it came to a point where everything changed for skateboarding. Frank Nasworthy’s invention of urethane wheels in 1972 made it possible for skateboarding to come back. Nasworthy started the company Cadillac Wheels and with the new material it was possible to ride smoother, faster and more comfortable. A variety of disciplines such as freestyle, downhill and slalom experienced a real high point. New magazines like the “Skateboarder Magazine” from 1975 were published and new events were launched. In 1976, the first artificially created skate park was inaugurated and new parks emerged with new elements such as vertical ramps.

In the mid-1970s, skateboarding reached Germany. The American soldiers brought the trend with them and by 1976 Munich became the first German skateboard center. In Munich Neuperlach, the first skate park was built, first skateboard magazines followed and in 1978 the first German skateboard championships were held in Munich.

All the different riders with their individual styles enhanced lots of new tricks. Therefore, skateboarding hardware was developed further and further: Shapes changed, boards became wider, got more concave and they featured nose and tail.

Then in 1978, Alan Gelfand invented a maneuver that gave skateboarding another revolutionary jump: The “Ollie”, which counts as the greatest trick ever invented and completely revolutionized skateboarding. That was the birth of street skateboarding!

THE 1980S

Rodney Mullen was one of the first riders who transferred the Ollie for different maneuvers onto the streets and spread a new style of skateboarding. Next to other fun sport activities like BMX or inline skating, street skateboarding developed more and more and became very popular.

In 1981, the “Thrasher Magazine” was founded and since then, this magazine stands for street skateboarding, the core scene, punk rock and the lifestyle slogan “Skate And Destroy”. In 1983, another well-known magazine was founded, namely the “Transworld Skateboarding Magazine”. Next to these magazines, a few smaller ones were founded and more skate shops opened. Because of this, the popularity of skateboarding continued to grow. A global dissemination of new tricks and unseen skate maneuvers allowed the first skate videos on VHS. Videography has become increasingly important to the scene.

Titus Dittmann was instrumental in the development of skateboarding in Germany. He imported skate-related products from the US and organized contests and various skateboarding events. The “Münster Monster Mastership” became one of the biggest international skateboarding competitions in the 1980s. For that reason, skateboarding became more and more famous in Germany.

From the mid-1980s on, it was possible to earn good money as a professional skateboarder and the skateboard industry boomed in the US. In the late 1980s, companies like Powell Peralta, Santa Cruz and Vision dominated the international market of the scene. The fashion was mainly determined by shoes. Shoes by Vans, Converse or Vision became flagships for the skateboarding scene.

Skateboarding was now absolutely established the US and in Germany and vert skateboarding was replaced by street skateboarding. The number of skateboarders increased significantly and professional skateboarders became more and more famous just like baseball or football stars.

FROM THE 1990S TO NOW

In the early 1990s, skateboarding went through a further depth phase due to the increase in various trend sports. So skateboarding went back to its roots. But because of the digitalization, skateboarding maintained its presence in public. From the mid-1990s, the modern skateboarding experienced a next high phase, which continues until today. Mega events like the “X-Games” were launched and televised. Due to numerous magazines, all the events, videos and last but not least the internet, skateboarding became common worldwide.

Because of brands like Chocolate, Girl Skateboards or Flip Skateboards, the skateboarding hardware was developed more and more and skateboarders could buy high-quality skateboards in every bigger city.

More indicators are the big and worldwide known events of “Street League”. “Street League Skateboarding” is a contest series for international pro skaters. Here, you only see the best street skateboarder you can think of like Nyjah Huston, Eric Koston, Paul Rodriguez, Andrew Reynolds, Ryan Sheckler or Torey Pudwill. Due to the cash prizes of 200.000 US Dollars or more for the winner and 10.000 visitors at the “Street League” stops, skateboarding has become a professional sport.

In Germany, street skating is the most popular discipline at contests just like in the USA. The European and German skate scene is independent, has its own industry, pros and a national contest series. This is an evidence of how big the role of skateboarding is in our society.

Skateboarding has become a job for a lot of people. Because of the increasing networking inside the skate scene, skateboarding will grow and bring more innovations in the future. But for the most of us, skateboarding is and will be a hobby and an attitude to life.

Bryce Kanights shot his first photographs as a teenage skateboarder on the urban streets of San Francisco. Sparked since those days of his youth, BK’s passion, deep-seated involvement, creative mindset and trained eye has captured several generations of youth culture and helped to shape the revolution of board sports in the process. Bryce continues to produce images and bodies of work that are well crafted and acutely reflective of the world around him.

He first began delving into photography as a teenager when he started documenting the different skate scenes in San Francisco. After having several photos published in magazines such as Thrasher and Transworld, he continued to shoot professionals for a range of different companies. 

His photography really gets spot out of the crowd. I really like the photo underneath of the movement being caught by using shutter speed. It’s as if he is the motion, he is slowly turning into the trick he is performing. Looks like Bryce used double exposure and used a digital colour camera.

Atiba Jefferson is a successful skateboard photographer, a founding member of The Skateboard Mag, and an in-demand commercial photographer who’s done work for Nike, Adidas, Pepsi, Mountain Dew and the like. After taking photography classes in high school, in 1995 Atiba moved from Colorado Springs to San Diego.

I believe that Atiba creates extravagant photography within the skateboarding industry. His style of making black and white photography draws my attention and gives me the sense of balance and it makes me focus more on the skateboarder than the surrounding or other objects in the shot. Furthermore I enjoy looking at the photograph of the tattoos on the mans knee caps. It gives authenticity to the shot and it gives me the idea of his character being a rebel and he could easily break the boundaries in skateboarding.

At Paris Fashion Week last year, Dior Homme debuted its fall/winter 2016 collection on a catwalk adorned with neon-lit skateboard ramps. For those in attendance, the obstacles were an aesthetic theme, a way for the Paris fashion house to augment its glitzy offerings with an off-kilter vibe. But in reality, the launch ramps and halfpipes were part of a broader fascination that’s been sweeping the fashion world for years: the creative and urbane skateboarder.

On the surface, there are few cultural products more diametrically opposed than high fashion and skateboarding. One is a gritty counter culture that evolved in the streets; the other is dreamt up by designers looking to charter new stylistic terrain. But that hasn’t stopped the unlikely marriage from reaching an apex. Skating has been a point of fascination for Vogue—the magazine published its editorial “Skate Week” package to a mirthful reception last year—while haute couture giants, independent designers, and mega-retailers have repeatedly cashed in.

At this point, the pairing of runway models and skateboards is almost standard fare on catwalks across the world. In some cases, it works: The late Dylan Rieder famously modeled for DKNY, while other pros, such as Alex Olson and Eli Reed, supplement their skating careers by running boutique brands. But the industry’s obsession with skateboarding hasn’t come without an uproar. Allegations of copyright infringement have been leveled, and the skate community has been swift to make noise over the appropriation of its beloved culture.

Even Louis Vuitton(Hugh end) and supreme ( skateboard brand) collaborated with this skateboard.

I only know one famous person who owns this.There’s only 10made in the world.

Skating began in the early 1950’s when surfers wanted something more while the waves were flat in California.

They tried to attach roller blades wheels to a wooden plank.

the photographer successfully captures elevation and a large sense of movement, this is something that I personally think brings life and energy to a photograph. The ability to capture gravity and show somebody frozen in motion.

In this photograph the model is being presented skating in one of the most authentic and traditional skating shoes, vans – they are usually worn for skating due to their durability, comfort and style as they are created for skateboarding and are a big brand in skate culture. This links to my project as I’m exploring and questioning traditional, classic footwear in skating trying to create a unique, unconventional composition that includes both the casual, authentic skater style but mixed with an elegant, more feminine shoe like a high heel to break the boundaries of classic skater style and completely question it.

I love the setting of this photograph and would like to use this kind of environment and day light in my actual photoshoot.

Skateboarding today is a global phenomenon, with around 50 million riders and thousands of skate parks worldwide, it will even feature as a sport in the 2020 Olympic Games. From the full-on testosterone of Thrasher skateboard magazine to the fashionable styling of Vogue, the skater girls and boys of Kabul to the Native American reservations of South Dakota, the skate parks of Brazil to the streets of Shenzhen, skateboarding is no longer just for punkish, subcultural rebels.

Entering a skate shop, you are as likely to see branded shoes and T-shirts as actual skateboards. Inevitably, big companies are also involved, including the likes of Adidas, Levi’s, New Balance, Nike and Vans.

Most profound of all is skateboarding’s contribution to city streets and public spaces, for it remains, at heart, an urban activity. While cities are made up of housing, offices, banks, transport, universities and so forth, skateboarding makes use of these buildings without engaging with their productive activities. Freed from the strictures of regimented skate parks and the demands of organised sport, street skateboarders implicitly deny that cities should always be productive or useful.