If you were standing on a corner in Queens or Detroit in 1986, you didn't see people wearing generic gym shoes. You saw heavy, chunky, loud leather. You saw British Knights. It’s funny because British Knights shoes 80s style wasn't actually about sports at all, even though they looked like they belonged on a basketball court. They were pure subculture.
Most people think the brand came from London. Wrong. They were born in New York City. Specifically, they were the brainchild of Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc., a company that, believe it or not, had its roots in the carpet industry before pivotting to footwear. This wasn't Nike trying to help you run faster. This was a brand that understood that for a kid in the city, the "look" was the only thing that mattered.
The Brand That Refused to Be Subtle
The 80s were loud. Everything was neon, oversized, and aggressive. British Knights—or BKs, as everyone called them—leaned into that harder than anyone else. While Reebok was busy making soft white leather shoes for aerobics instructors in the suburbs, BKs were thick. They had massive tongues. They had those "Dymacel" windows in the heel that looked like high-tech cushions but felt more like concrete.
It worked.
The brand launched in 1983 and by the mid-to-late 80s, they were a genuine threat to the big players. They didn't market to athletes; they marketed to artists. They were the first major brand to really embrace hip-hop as its primary engine. This wasn't some corporate suit's idea of "urban marketing." It was a reflection of what was actually happening in the clubs and on the pavement.
Why the Dymacel Technology Was a Lie (Mostly)
Let's be honest for a second. If you actually tried to play a full game of high-stakes basketball in a pair of British Knights shoes 80s high-tops, your ankles would probably never forgive you. The "Dymacel" technology was marketed as this revolutionary silicon-based cushioning system. In reality, it was mostly a aesthetic choice.
It looked cool. That was the point.
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The silicon was encased in a green or clear window in the sole. It gave the shoe a "tech" vibe that matched the burgeoning digital age. But compared to Nike's Air or Asics' Gel, Dymacel was stiff. You didn't buy BKs because you wanted to jump higher. You bought them because you wanted to stand taller. The sheer bulk of the shoe gave the wearer a certain presence. If you were wearing the Kings SL or the Control model, you were making a statement that you weren't there to exercise. You were there to be seen.
The Hip-Hop Connection: Kool Moe Dee and MC Hammer
You can't talk about British Knights shoes 80s history without talking about the music. They were arguably the first brand to realize that rappers were the new NBA stars. They signed Kool Moe Dee when he was at the height of his "How Ya Like Me Now" fame.
Then came the heavy hitters.
MC Hammer became the face of the brand. This was a massive shift in how shoes were sold. Hammer wasn't just wearing them in a video; he was doing full-blown commercials that felt like music videos. "How Ya Like Me Now" wasn't just a song title; it was the brand's entire ethos. They were the underdog. They were the "British" brand from New York that was taking on the world.
- The Embroidery: BKs were famous for having "BRITISH KNIGHTS" or "BK" stitched in massive letters on the heel and the tongue.
- The Materials: They used pigskin, heavy suedes, and ribbed nylon that other brands stayed away from.
- The Colors: While others stayed in the red/blue/black lanes, BK went with gold, silver, and vibrant teals.
The sheer audacity of the design is what made them a staple in early hip-hop fashion. They paired perfectly with the oversized Shearling coats and the heavy gold ropes that defined the era's aesthetic.
The Gang Rumors That Almost Killed the Brand
There is a dark side to the British Knights shoes 80s story that most people forget. By the late 80s and early 90s, the brand faced a PR nightmare. A rumor started circulating—and it spread like wildfire before the internet even existed—that "BK" stood for "Blood Killer."
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This led to the shoes being banned in schools and community centers across the United States.
The Crips, a prominent gang, allegedly adopted the shoes because of the "BK" initials. It didn't matter that the brand had nothing to do with it. It didn't matter that the company was owned by a Jewish family in New York. The perception was reality. For a while, wearing a pair of British Knights in certain neighborhoods was literally a life-or-death decision.
The company tried to fight it. They launched anti-drug campaigns. They put "Choose Change" slogans on their gear. They tried to lean into the "British" part of the name to distance themselves from the street rumors. But once a brand gets associated with that kind of heat, it’s hard to shake. It’s one of the reasons the brand's meteoric rise hit a brick wall as the 90s rolled in.
The Design Language of the 80s Models
When you look at a pair of 1988 BK Dymacel High Tops, you're looking at a time capsule. The collars were heavily padded. The laces were often thick, flat, and brightly colored.
One of the most iconic features was the "lace lock." It was this plastic piece that sat on the laces, supposedly to keep them tight, but everyone just used it as a decorative badge. It was the 80s version of the "zip tie" on modern Off-White Nikes. It served no functional purpose, but if you didn't have it, your shoes weren't "fresh."
Where Are They Now?
The brand didn't die, but it definitely went into hibernation. After the gang-related controversies and the rise of the "minimalist" grunge look in the early 90s, British Knights fell out of favor. The "bulky" look was replaced by the sleekness of the Nike Huarache or the simplicity of the Adidas Gazelle.
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In recent years, there’s been a massive nostalgia wave.
Jack Schwartz Shoes actually relaunched the brand as a "boutique" retro line. They brought back the original shapes, the Dymacel windows, and the obnoxious branding. But it's different now. In the 80s, BK was a disruptor. Today, it’s a heritage brand for people who miss the days when a shoe weighed three pounds and looked like a spaceship.
The quality of the modern retros is surprisingly decent. They've kept the heavy-duty feel of the original British Knights shoes 80s collectors remember. They aren't trying to compete with the latest Yeezys or Jordans. They are selling a feeling. They are selling the memory of a New York summer, a boombox on the shoulder, and the sound of Kool Moe Dee blasting out of a car window.
How to Style Retro BKs Without Looking Like a Costume
If you're going to dive into the world of 80s British Knights, don't go full 1989. You’ll look like you’re heading to a Halloween party. The trick is to treat the shoes as the "statement piece" of an otherwise modern outfit.
Basically, keep the rest of your kit simple. Wear them with tapered black jeans or joggers. Since the shoes are so high-profile and "busy," you want the eyes to land on the feet and stay there.
Honestly, the best way to honor the 80s legacy is to embrace the "loudness." Don't be afraid of the metallic colorways or the oversized tongues. That was the whole point of British Knights. They weren't for the shy. They weren't for the runners. They were for the people who wanted to walk into a room and have everyone know exactly who just arrived.
Specific Actions for Collectors and Fans
To truly appreciate or acquire a piece of this history, you need to look beyond the general retail sites.
- Check the "True" Vintage: If you are looking for original 80s pairs, beware of "soleswap" requirements. The glue and foam from 1987 will crumble the moment you put them on. These are museum pieces, not daily drivers.
- Verify the Dymacel: On newer retro models, make sure the "Dymacel" window is actually the silicon insert and not just a printed graphic. The authentic feel requires that physical window.
- Explore the "Quilting": Look for the models with the diamond-quilted side panels. This was a signature BK design move that gave the leather a luxury feel despite the "street" price point.
- Embrace the Low-Tops: While the high-tops get all the glory, the BK low-tops from the late 80s were actually great "everyday" shoes that look surprisingly modern today.
The British Knights shoes 80s era represents a moment when fashion was moving faster than the industry could keep up with. It was raw, it was unpolished, and it was unapologetically loud. Whether you're a sneakerhead looking for a bit of history or just someone who misses the days of MC Hammer, there’s no denying the impact those two letters—BK—had on the world.