The Hot Keds brand of shoe has been around since 1916, when they were first made by U.S. Rubber (now known as Uniroyal). The first Keds shoes were also the first to be known as sneakers, because the rubber soles of the shoes made them quiet (so one could sneak around and not worry about being heard, apparently, because hard soled shoes tended to make noise). The United States Rubber Company was a rubber manufacturer founded by Charles R. Flint in 1892. ... Sneakers are footwear of flexible material, typically featuring a sole made of rubber. ...

Throughout the years, Keds became immensely popular with many people, including fashion icons, because of their classic and stylish design.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Keds introduced a line of athletic shoes called Pro-Keds, which were intended for more serious use, specifically for basketball. Over the years many basketball players and teams wore Pro-Keds shoes while playing. Sara Giauro shoots a three-point shot, FIBA Europe Cup for Women Finals 2005. ...

In the 1980s and 1990s keds were worn by girls with wigwam slouch socks with skirts and bike shorts or leggings or soccer shorts and by cheerleaders with wigwam slouch socks as part of their uniform.

The popularity for Keds finally seemed to die out in the mid-to-late 1990s, as other brands became popular with women and the classic Keds fell out of favor. However, recently, Keds have become popular again, thanks in part to its ad campaigns featuring Mischa Barton, star of The O.C. and The Veronicas who are an Australian Pop Rock music duo. There are now fruit design keds that have been introduced they also have them in polka dots and in every other stylish design you can think of. Pro-Keds have also come back into popularity for the moment, thanks in part to the current vintage clothing obsession. Mischa Anne Barton (born January 24, 1986) is an American actress and former child fashion model. ... The O.C. is an American television comedy-drama program broadcast on the FOX Network in the US and on various networks around the world. ... The Veronicas are an Australian pop rock award winning singer/songwriter duo composed of identical twin sisters Lisa Marie and Jessica Louise Origliasso (born 25 December 1984 in Brisbane) who are of Italian (Sicilian) descent. ... Pop rock is a genre of music that combines elements of both pop and rock. ...

The Keds Champion is still the Keds signiture shoe, and is available in the traditional white and black leather and canvas uppers, but also in a myraid of seasonal and special colors and patterns. in 2006 some of the Men's Keds Triumph sneakers were reintroduced, though Keds remain far more popular with women than with men.