Timeless classic: 1960s Tretorn Nylite tennis shoes

On and off the court these 1960s Tretorn Nylite tennis shoes have been a hit for decades. And for a good reason.

But it was on the court that these shoes first caught the eye. The Tretorn Nylite design dates back to 1967, with this Swedish tennis shoe soon being taken up by professionals at the time and for some years after. Long before Bjorn Borg wore the Diadora B Elite on the court, he was wearing a pair of these.

Soon after it started to make waves on the tennis circuit, it was also making its name as a fashion accessory too. Over the years this has become a ‘preppy’ classic and has been worn by a variety of movers and shakers. You might well recall Dustin Hoffman, wearing a pair through the classic All The President’s Men movie back in 1976.

That ‘cool’ has never really gone away, perhaps because this is a tennis shoe (or plimsoll) that has stayed firmly under the radar. If you were to ask someone to name three classic tennis shoes, this would unlikely to make the cut.

The design hasn’t really changed as the years passed. The only difference is the number of variations available now and the addition of an EcoOrtholite sock liner. Basically this is just a canvas upper, rubber outsole and the classic Tretorn branding.

For me, they work best in the original tennis white, as you can see here, with a pair selling for £60 if you want them. But if you want something more colourful and cheaper you can get discounted coloured variations in the John Lewis clearance right now for £42.

Find out more at the Oi Polloi website

Via His Knibs