British Knights

British Knights is a shoe brand founded in 1983 by Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc, based in New York City. In the 1980s, British Knights distinguished themselves as an inner-city and music driven brand, appealing to the predominantly male youth in urban communities.

History

British Knights was launched in 1983 as a casual shoe brand. In 1985 they introduced their first sneaker collection and sales exploded. In an environment where brands kept the same style in their line for years, British Knights was one of the first brands to recognize that the sneaker business was more about fashion than performance. By introducing a new collection three to four times a year, it became popular among 15- to 24-year-old males in urban communities. The classic, “the shoe ain’t nothin’ without the BK button” became the brand’s mantra in reference to the diamond-shaped BK logo plate which was on every shoe.

Marketed as a fashion brand vs. a performance brand, British Knights was one of the first brands to utilize hip hop artists as endorsers, enlisting Kool Moe Dee for the brands introduction to TV. “How Ya Like Me Now” was broadcast on the worldwide music channel MTV. The brand was also featured prominently in hip hop and dance music videos by artists such as Public Enemy, Technotronic and Beats International.