The Rise And Fall Of British Knights Sneakers: An Empire That Later Crumbled

[@lordg3803]

British Knights, Troop, Travel Fox, Avia, Ellesse, Pony, Ballys. All Dat..

[@BroskiTheGreat]

All dat

[@ericbarnes8947]

Faux Fur Ellesse's for the win in '89

[@Day-ZDuke]

Product Of New York Used to love my Pony kicks and sweats

[@Brotha_Yon]

In New Orleans in the 80's we used to kick the Ballys (#1 of course), Lottos, Tretorn and Esprit for the girls, Ellesse, Travel Fox, Diadora, the blue suede Adidas Forums, even the Kangaroos in the early 80's.. yeah All Dat

[@surfingjc]

Competition was tough back then.. great product...But then there was Troop which I preferred back then...

[@bryangreen9967]

It's crazy how I was thinking of wearing BK just to be super unique because nobody else is wearing it

[@kevincollins8620]

And you wouldn't be. I own a pair of British Knights Omni. 😂

[@franciscocharles4646]

I was too

[@bcaesar80]

Had the black and gray high top in 89!! Man those were the best times!

[@stevemendez3535]

I loved my British nights high tops. I wore them with my parachute pants while I was breakdancing.

[@erichoepelman7764]

Nobody that used to break called it breakdancing 😂

[@vekksblackman]

I definitely had a pair of BKs and I definitely miss the era where mad sneaker companies were seen on everybody's feet. L.A. Gears, Etonics, etc. We're kinda getting back to that now but it's not honest, we're still experiencing the hypebeast boom of NB's, Asics and Saucony. I hope these sneakers endure the hypebeasts because they definitely had a place in the 80's early 90's.

[@cadimarucut7724]

Hope there is a comeback.

[@SydRetroFoodie]

new sneakers not even made w leather anymore shit wildn!!! lol

[@BongDonkySecret77]

I still rock BK shoes.

[@SydRetroFoodie]

@@BongDonkySecret77 new ones dont look bad but all man made synthetic i cant rock those jawns lol

[@Day-ZDuke]

Can’t forget the Patrick Ewing shoes!

[@ohiorichkidbeats]

Late 80s early 90s in Cleveland ' we called em' Bk's ,we wore Bk's or this brand called Troop's [ LL Cool j' had troops and a troop jacket on in his 'Im bad album cover..

[@woodchuck40]

Back then, the rumor was the Klan was behind Troops.

[@sul222]

I used to wear in 80’s Lotto (map), BK, Troop (Ice Lamb)

[@woodchuck40]

@@sul222 IIRC, LL used to rock the Ice Lamb kicks. Back then, the rumor was the Klan was behind Troop, and that's why they started falling out of favor.

[@jsimeonf9141]

In jamaica in those days the dons were rocking BK and ballys, the rastas were rocking travel fox

[@darrylthompson9538]

Same here in Cincinnati

[@GEORGIABOY23]

Had to have the British Knights and the LA Gear! I did also had the Jordan 4 and 5s at same time period. I miss the 80s and 90s!!!! PS don’t sleep on Eleese they were poppin in metro Atlanta back then!

[@TheCavemanBrown]

I’ll always remember growing up in the late 80s early 90s watching nickelodeon and seeing BK commercials, often times being used as prizes for the game shows.

[@takeflight2142]

Nickelodeon put me on too

[@tamudawson]

Funhouse and finders keepers always had BK prize

[@TheCavemanBrown]

@@tamudawson Same with Double Dare, Legends of the Hidden Temple, and a few others.

[@Cogic]

Yo I was just thinking of the show called Gutz I miss them days

[@TheCavemanBrown]

@@Cogic “First it was the agrocrag… then the megacrag…. now it is the SUPER AGROCRAG! Filled with more obstacles and surprises than ever before! Go down to Mo for the leaderboard… MO!” Ahhh… what a better time

[@BeatleDustino]

I had a pair of the Derrick Coleman Dynacells. But I also had several Jordans, a pair of Shaq’s and the Fila Grant Hill 1’s.

[@jasonkidd1689]

7:58 I had that exact pair😮. Maaaan, you couldn't tell me I wasn't fresh.

[@TinoDavinci-777]

Great work well put together 👍🏿

[@nikkiearl]

Need to do one about troop next 💯

[@ashtonturner2862]

Yeah, I remember Blood Killers 😬

[@fidhammer]

I remember rocking a fresh pair of crisp, white BKs to school and got ripped on hard. The next year everyone was wearing them. I never understood it.

[@DammSkippy]

I remember not being able to get these or Jordan’s because kids were getting killed for them. When they came back out I had outgrown the style. I still remember when Barkley’s shoes came back out and I had the chance to get them. I Passed them up for running shoes.

[@ryana9783]

I had a pair as a kid in Southern California and was not allowed to wear them at school cause of the “gang” affiliation.

[@pastense]

I remember when they ended up in Payless shoe stores. When that happened, I think that was the beginning of their downfall. I used to really want a pair as a kid!

[@deltronfloyd6241]

Fasho had a few pair back in the day. As a 41 year old now....I remember this era !

[@GB-vo8xc]

Brings back memories: I was so happy my mom upgraded me from Pro-wings and XJ900 to BK; especially being that I was about to be the new kid at school! White with the red diamond and BK in the middle! Dope, right? Wrong! Little did we know, this new school also was in the infant stage of gang culture, so I wore them on my first day at my new school and was quickly confronted by some kids asking me if I was a Cuzz or a Blood. I was lost, i thought it was a trick question😂I felt like that kid on the movie "The Wood"😂. They threatened to fight me if I didn't take off the shoes so of course I chose to fight them instead of going home amd having to fight my mom for allowing someone to take my brand new shoes. Thankfully (for me) a teacher saw the scuffle and broke it up, and as the years went by, I would see those same 2 cats later in life, we laughed about it all!

[@takeflight2142]

Dam sadly I too remember the pro wings and xj900s 😂

[@GB-vo8xc]

@takeflight2142 🤣🤣

[@Alamo94]

Real T, my city wide school system switched from regular clothes to uniform. collar polos and Dickies around if i remember correctly 95-96, because it go so bad with the color banging

[@GB-vo8xc]

@Alamo94 yea, most schools here in Vegas have switched to uniform because of that same reason.

[@eribric5556]

Forgot all about the Pro Wings

[@anthonyleathermantonetone4929]

I had the white with black snake skin hightops, with the jump suit to match.. Miss the late 80's

[@henrysmifth536]

Great video bro 👍🏿👍🏿💪🏿💪🏿

[@joseleston1913]

Had them on yesterday

[@ChadFreeman757]

Thanks for this reminder. Ordering from Amazon now…

[@hiphopgeeks]

Great video, Unfortunately I couldn't get BKs when I was a kid. But definitely picked some up a few years ago when they were rereleased. It was even better as an adult. Great story, didn't know the details.

[@paulmann5328]

I just remember nickelodeon giving these away like hot cakes on their game shows 😂😂

[@MrBrink-bz3nk]

I remember BK, u can hop fences the best with those and Patrick Ewings. 😂

[@kingRamsey_504]

😂

[@lavellsmith8613]

New subscriber #bk I had some when I was a kid. Great memories 💯

[@kevinkev1530]

Great story telling, definitely had a couple pairs

[@ysidropachecoiii47]

I had a BK low blue and white.....those were my favorite kicks back then.....

[@94shotson40]

Man i had some Voits in 6th grade...no problem. Got to 7th grade with a new pair of Voits....first day of school proceeded to get super clowned and later that night moms made my dad buy me some BKs 😮‍💨😂...get on the right foot...get on with BKs...get on with BKs! 🕺

[@SouthJerseyBaitReviews]

I remember when these were the #1 Crip shoe at one point lmao.

[@nikolugo]

The last time I remember seeing someone wearing those I was in high school and one of my classmates were wearing them and this was back in the mid 2000s and back when Fat Farm and G units were still popular

[@kevincollins8620]

I still rock British Knights. I have the omni pair. I did an upload maybe 2 years back. Look like new balance 550

[@MrNcking75]

I have a pair

[@krono5el]

wow that takes me back, everyone had the white ones like the white k swiss but i rocked the black BKs bcus the little medal emblem would stick out more and i never wore white shoes.

[@johnr.7906]

You had to be really brave to wear British Knights in my NY suburbs during the 1980's. One kid had them and was made fun of relentlessly - even after he got new sneakers.

[@RicketyRocket]

I'm from L.A. and those were considered Crip shoes. The BK stood for blood killa. They were cool but risky businesses back in the 80's.

[@DinoStackszSpartankicksz]

Dope man just stumbled across your page and was just talking about BK I’m a collector now from det mi, very great vid plus informative we needed this I had all colors too! New subscriber here lock me in bro!💯🔥👀🖤🦖🤾🏾‍♂️👨🏾‍✈️

[@takeflight2142]

Thx fam glad u enjoyed the content. ✊🏽

[@Dannyfromnewquay]

Shout out from London mate🫡🇬🇧

[@takeflight2142]

Aeyyy London stand up. Thanks for the support all the way across the pond 🙌🏽

[@Dannyfromnewquay]

@ it’s all good bruvvva🫡🇬🇧

[@dillavedderx5959]

I had 2 pairs back then , some Fila's , TROOP's and some Ellesse boots, Ellesse made some 🔥 and just bought 2 TROOP crewneck sweatshirts. 80's 90's were the times. 👊👑👌

[@1DayAttaTime-kc7pc]

I had a pair of BK's back in the 7th grade. Everybody used to ask me what are those 🔥🔥🔥

[@RudieObias]

I remember Derrick Coleman of the New Jersey Nets rocked British Knights on the court

[@chrislopez7295]

No mention of the Ratch Tech?

[@woodchuck40]

I had about 3 pairs of these back in the late 80s. I even took my light blue and white ones on tour with me.

[@robertfrancois6064]

That was the best looking ones.

[@Marvin-ut4xs]

Tour ?

[@woodchuck40]

​@Marvin-ut4xs Back when I was Tony MF Rock. I have a few videos on KZbin.

[@ronaldjackson930]

I just bought a pair for an 80's party 2 yrs ago. The black and white snake skin ones. Still have them to

[@streethypevintage]

I got a pair for Christmas and it came with a M.C. Hammer Cassette when I was a kid

[@ScarabSkateboards]

When I live in monore la my mom brought me those she order offline she got me like the all white in black high tops

[@choppadon1049]

In the 90s almost everyone in Germany had them... crazy times❤

[@tommypiffington3374]

& the Roos 😂

[@over-educated-sp]

I had a pair back in 85ish. They were good sneakers! 👟 clean.

[@speaknice8078]

Got me too as a kid... I was like, "Why the heck are dudes wearing shoes from Europe?" lol....

[@corneliusrich_912]

I kept a pair of BK when I was in elementary school

[@Oldschoolradio-g1f]

I was rockin these in 88 and early 89

[@moeeshangpate6320]

🤔🤷🏿‍♂️🤷🏾I never owned a pair of BK's, but I did have a pair of the BLACK LA GEAR boots tho, and the white and red DIADORAS & the BLUE & CREAM DIADORAS!!

[@viralbuthow000]

do British Walkers next

[@anthonynunez6220]

I had a pair and I loved them

[@trinidadandtobago7098]

I was a fan growing up a lot of us had those going to school in my country the republic of Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹

[@AntonioMaseratiGarcia]

You forgot to mention British Knights gave Mutumbo an endorsement deal

[@howieg2019]

back in 2020 i copped 2 pair off the website, 😁i was shocked when i learned they were available again.

[@B-Myls]

Those were the days back in the 80's. I used to see older cats with the shoes on that were against the B's.

[@Babypapayaproductions]

Do Loto next!

[@Marvin-ut4xs]

I forgot about them.

[@Ceno3000]

I remember my mother got me some of these shoes I was like 6or 7 years old I’m 42 now I remember these

[@Sarah-i1z4h]

They still sell them in England

[@blover8548]

Me 🙋🏾‍♂️ I remember British Knights.

[@joshleyva2249]

I always wanted BKs as a kid but never got a pair.

[@philmoe5392]

British Knights were a must have in the 80’s growing up as a kid in in Chicago. However, there was a rumors that the company was owned by the KKK, so my mom, nor granny ever bought me any. The rumor was later debunked many years later though.

[@mistamista_693]

I heard that as well that was in around 2000 when they made a comeback.

[@dameonwilliams5317]

Do you have a Cross Colours video?

[@takeflight2142]

Yes I did one a few weeks ago

[@GobollarchyFarty-pump]

Had them back and in the day, Travel Fox were best quilty but the white leather and light tan suede SPX high tops we're the best looking and my favorite but the souls would fall apart at the heel like most early air bubble type tech and torsion bars etc when they first came on the scene back then and the bubble equivalent in them was like a plastic box or something that it had a spring inside if recall correctly and that is what caused the problems with them.

[@bryanklein6428]

The super cool gold BK button

[@raymondcalaguas359]

Elleese,Le Coq Sportif,Fila made in Italy,not China,Ballys of Switzerland,Clarks,Travel Fox,Buffalinos...the good ole days yo!!

[@Alamo94]

you couldnt wear these or k-swiss in my neighborhood growing up, legends of the hidden temple made me want a pair tho!😂

[@Cogic]

Your neighbor hood was that petty?

[@Alamo94]

@@Cogic i dont know about petty but it was definitely dangerous

[@Cogic]

@Alamo94 Bro if you can't wear certain sneakers dangerous or not ya hood was mad petty so imma a get shot because I gotta pair of k swiss/ BK on🤦‍♂️

[@006ahenry]

All white K-Swiss, creased Girbuad jeans & crispy white tee. That was a clean fit when I was in HS, way back when 😂

[@Cogic]

@006ahenry If you had Ks on where I'm from you got clowned on.They were the equivalent to sketchers

[@jyoung4741]

I always wondered what happened to #BK & Yes I was a big fan of British Knights, if I think back to when I was 1st given the chance to pick out my own shoe as a kid I picked a pair of #BK

[@sharkknortheast]

I was rocking high top British knights 2003

[@chuckwicksimmons5813]

I used to have the red and black pear with the Velcro and some days. I would wear red on one foot and the black. On the other foot, and when you said about the gang affiliation, that was a California thing. Are they called them blood killers? That the crips would wear👌🏾💯💯.

[@armpad9413]

Couldn't wear those in Compton.

[@Cogic]

Why

[@armpad9413]

Gang politics.

[@toyranpatrick]

Same for Little Rock

[@xavierrivera9130]

The Burlington special

[@yashabenyishrael120]

Louis Vuitton has a sneaker that is a true BK spin off

[@eugeneporter1642]

They need to remake the first pair of high tops with different colors

[@JasonBrown-mx2kk]

The first yr they were popular I had 2 pairs every one in school had. Pair I grew up in the hood

[@toyranpatrick]

I got a pair when i was about 11 or 12... I kept them in the box. Couldn't wear BK (Blood K***a) in my neighborhood. Had to tell mom to take them back. They were clean tho.

[@jjfink3925]

BKs were hard back in the day

[@robertfrancois6064]

I remember the leather being like twice as thick as Nike

[@ColdSoul5150]

Crips used to wear them back in the day because they say BK for Blood Killa

[@Roccofan]

Mine had the “snake skin”. 😂😂

[@bryantwilliams647]

I had some BK's in the 80s

[@Oldschoolradio-g1f]

Because the shoe aint nothin without the BK button!

[@lilrocthedon]

You forgot to mention there impact on gang culture. Crips wore BK's and bloods wore Calvin Kline (CK) shirts

[@Billiamkimber]

They were Kmart shoes when I was a kid

[@robertfrancois6064]

Haha Kmart didn’t sell BK

[@Billiamkimber]

@ yes they did; right next to the shaq shoes kid. Google it.

[@Marvin-ut4xs]

​@@robertfrancois6064probably went to Kmart after they went downhill in the 90s

[@phillipwatson1102]

Self-esteem on your feet.

[@franciscocharles4646]

I liked BK’s I’m gonna get me a pair

[@MNY-ps1nz]

Bk were the lugs of Clark’s, most wore Ballys, Shell toe adidas, puma’s and fat laces were the style

[@takeflight2142]

I’ve never heard that analogy made before 😂. Clarks was some east coast shit, they never caught on down south, unless it was b4 my time.

[@Marvin-ut4xs]

​@@takeflight2142i rock em in Louisiana but I went to the army when ghost was talking about dippin em blue & creme lol

[@JesseGonzales-kv7gz]

I wasn’t allowed to wear them for being affiliated with gangs 😂so I would keep them at the homies

[@charlessaints]

all the crips loved these 😂

[@MrNcking75]

They still make them. I have a pair

[@wordlife1997]

Couldn't pay me to rock British Knights nor L.A. Gear in the 80's.

[@BroskiTheGreat]

I fucked with BKs heavy in the late 80s

[@beachboi6196]

U couldn't were those at my school in San Diego' as I grew in 80 and my city was 80 percent bloods and if got caught were them u get beat up as bk stood blood killer so even if didn't bang u get pressed

[@scottsayers2929]

The blue snakeskin

[@whatever-whatever931]

Damn I’m old 😂😂😂😂

[@bryanirizarry6605]

Bring them back

[@Kryptiq144]

too many bloods in my city to be wearing those. Def seen a few dudes get rocked n robbed for wearing bk