British Knights

British Knights is an American footwear and casualwear brand established in 1983 by Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. in New York City. It began as a casual shoe label and gained momentum after introducing its first sneaker collection in 1985. At a time when many footwear companies kept relatively stable product lines for extended periods, British Knights treated sneakers as fashion products as well as functional footwear. The brand introduced new collections several times a year, helping it appeal particularly to male consumers between the ages of 15 and 24 in urban communities. The brand’s visual identity centered on a diamond-shaped BK plate attached to its shoes. This feature was promoted through the slogan “the shoe ain't nothin' without the BK button,” making the logo hardware a recognizable product signature. British Knights also developed an early connection between footwear, music, and street culture. It used hip-hop artists in endorsement and television activity before that approach became standard practice across the sneaker industry. Kool Moe Dee supported the brand’s early television introduction, including an appearance connected with the song “How Ya Like Me Now” on MTV. British Knights expanded its cultural reach through music sponsorships and artist relationships. In the late 1980s, the Toronto hip-hop group Get Loose Crew wore British Knights apparel after receiving clothing from the company in connection with a proposed sponsorship. The relationship was not described as a formal endorsement, but the group wore the apparel on its 1988 album cover and during a televised appearance. In 1990, the company signed MC Hammer to a full endorsement agreement. British Knights sponsored his tour and organized retail events and contests. An anti-drug campaign also featured Hammer in a British Knights-sponsored television commercial. His popularity substantially increased brand awareness and helped move British Knights beyond its original urban-youth base toward a broader mainstream audience. In 1991, the brand introduced Dymacel, a cushioning system built around diamond-shaped green silicone elements housed within a window in the sole. The system was designed to absorb impact by redirecting vertical force horizontally while retaining resilience after repeated compression. British Knights supported Dymacel with athlete marketing, signing New Jersey Nets player Derrick Coleman in 1991. Coleman wore Dymacel footwear in professional basketball and while associated with Dream Team II, and appeared in advertising. In 1993, San Antonio Spurs player Lloyd Daniels endorsed the Vengeance model, part of the Outdoor Dymacel Collection. The brand’s later corporate history became geographically divided. In 1998, Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. sold British Knights trademarks covering a number of territories to a European company that continued footwear production for Europe and South America. That European operation became associated with the Dutch Achten Fashion Group and is separate from the original North American business. In 2014, Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. incorporated British Knights N.A. and revived the North American brand with partners from the music, entertainment, and design industries. The 2014 relaunch presented British Knights as a culture-led label under the slogan “Artists are the new athletes.” Designer and artist Darren Romanelli served as creative director, while entrepreneur Scooter Braun and SB Projects were involved in the relaunch effort. Romanelli created four updated shoe styles combining performance-oriented materials with streetwear styling, including earth-tone mid-tops with ribbed leather panels and black-and-white high-tops incorporating British-flag references. The designs were previewed at Agenda in Las Vegas on February 17, 2014, and went on sale through high-end retailers on March 15, 2014. The currently documented product scope includes sneakers and other footwear, along with T-shirts, hoodies, and caps. The available reference material does not establish current ownership arrangements, revenue, public-market status, or the brand’s present distribution scale.

British Knights was founded in New York City in 1983 by Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. as a casual shoe brand. Its commercial trajectory changed in 1985, when it launched its first sneaker collection. The brand competed by treating sneakers as fashion items and by refreshing its assortment several times each year, rather than relying on a small number of long-running styles. This approach helped it connect with urban consumers, especially young men between 15 and 24. The brand’s signature design element was a diamond-shaped BK plate fitted to the shoe. Its advertising turned that detail into a central brand code through the slogan “the shoe ain't nothin' without the BK button.” British Knights also built an early identity around hip-hop and youth entertainment. Kool Moe Dee was used in the brand’s initial television activity, with MTV exposure connected to “How Ya Like Me Now.” The Toronto group Get Loose Crew later wore British Knights apparel on its 1988 album cover and on CBC’s Switchback, although the available account characterizes the relationship as clothing support rather than a formal endorsement. British Knights’ largest documented marketing expansion occurred in 1990, when it signed MC Hammer to a full endorsement deal. The company sponsored his tour, ran in-store events and contests, and incorporated him into an anti-drug television campaign. The partnership increased awareness and helped the label reach consumers outside its original urban market. Product technology became another part of the brand story in 1991, when British Knights introduced Dymacel. The system used diamond-shaped green silicone cushioning embedded in a sole window. It was intended to spread impact energy across a horizontal plane, provide shock absorption, and maintain its memory through repeated compression. Derrick Coleman became the first professional athlete associated with Dymacel, wearing the shoes in basketball and appearing in advertising. Lloyd Daniels later endorsed the Vengeance model from the Outdoor Dymacel Collection in 1993. A territorial split emerged in 1998. Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. sold the British Knights trademarks in many territories to a European company that continued manufacturing and distributing footwear in Europe and South America. The European operation became associated with Achten Fashion Group in the Netherlands and is described as separate from the original American brand. The North American business remained tied to Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. In 2014, Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. established British Knights N.A. and relaunched the brand in collaboration with participants from music, entertainment, and fashion. Darren Romanelli acted as creative director and Scooter Braun’s SB Projects was involved in the broader initiative. The relaunch adopted the slogan “Artists are the new athletes,” repositioning the label around creative culture and collaboration. Romanelli designed four styles that mixed performance materials with streetwear construction, including earth-tone mid-tops and black-and-white high-tops featuring British-inspired visual references. The collection was shown at Agenda in Las Vegas on February 17, 2014, and was scheduled for retail release on March 15, 2014. Documented current products include sneakers, other casual footwear, T-shirts, hoodies, and caps. Current financial performance, corporate structure beyond the North American and European distinction, and global distribution are not established by the supplied sources.

• 2014

  North American relaunch

  [1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  British Knights N.A. was incorporated and the North American brand returned with a collaboration-led collection and a new creative positioning.

• 1998

  European trademark transfer

  [1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. sold British Knights trademarks in various territories to a European company, creating a separate European and South American business operation.

• 1993

  Vengeance endorsement

  [1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  Lloyd Daniels endorsed the Vengeance model in the Outdoor Dymacel Collection.

• 1991

  Dymacel technology introduced

  [1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  The brand introduced Dymacel cushioning and signed Derrick Coleman as its first professional athlete endorser for the technology.

• 1990

  MC Hammer endorsement

  [1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  British Knights signed MC Hammer to a full endorsement agreement and linked the partnership to touring, retail events, contests, and television campaigns.

• 1988

  Get Loose Crew association

  [1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  Get Loose Crew wore British Knights apparel on its self-titled album cover and during a CBC television appearance after receiving clothing from the company.

• 1985

  First sneaker collection

  [1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  The first British Knights sneaker collection launched, producing a sharp increase in sales and establishing the brand’s fashion-oriented sneaker strategy.

• 1983

  Brand founded

  [1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. founded British Knights in New York City as a casual shoe brand.

Streetwear and urban casual fashion combining sneaker design, music culture, artist collaboration, and youth-oriented branding.

• Footwear · 1985

  Sneakers

  Sneakers are the brand’s principal product category. British Knights built its early identity around frequent fashion-led sneaker collections, urban styling, and the diamond-shaped BK button mounted on the shoe. Later collections incorporated streetwear silhouettes and, in some cases, performance-oriented materials.

• Technology footwear · 1991

  Dymacel footwear

  Dymacel footwear used a diamond-shaped green silicone cushioning element embedded in a visible sole window. British Knights presented the technology as a way to absorb shock, redirect impact energy, and retain resilience after repeated compression. Derrick Coleman and Lloyd Daniels supported separate Dymacel-related products and campaigns.

• Outdoor footwear · 1993

  Vengeance

  Vengeance was a British Knights model included in the Outdoor Dymacel Collection. The shoe was promoted through a 1993 endorsement arrangement with NBA player Lloyd Daniels, also known as Swee’Pea.

• Streetwear footwear · 2014

  Relaunch collaboration sneakers

  The 2014 relaunch collection included four styles designed by Darren Romanelli. The documented designs combined performance-level materials with streetwear aesthetics, including earth-tone mid-tops with ribbed brown leather panels and black-and-white high-tops using British-flag-inspired details.

• Apparel

  Casual apparel

  Documented apparel sold under the British Knights name includes T-shirts, hoodies, and caps. Apparel has also supported the brand’s music and street-culture identity, including clothing worn by Get Loose Crew in the late 1980s.

• 2014Artists are the new athletes

  United States

  The North American relaunch positioned artists and creative collaborators as cultural counterparts to athletes, with Darren Romanelli designing a new capsule of footwear.

  Outcome. The collection was previewed at Agenda in Las Vegas and subsequently offered through high-end retailers.

  Source
• 1990MC Hammer endorsement and tour sponsorship

  United States

  British Knights signed MC Hammer, sponsored his tour, and connected the partnership with store events, contests, and television advertising.

  Outcome. The campaign substantially increased awareness and helped the brand reach a broader mainstream audience.

  Source
• 1990MC Hammer anti-drug television campaign

  United States

  An anti-drug campaign sponsored by British Knights featured MC Hammer in a television spot.

  Source
• 1980Kool Moe Dee television introduction

  United States

  British Knights used Kool Moe Dee in early television promotion, linking the brand’s introduction to hip-hop and MTV-oriented music culture.

  Outcome. The activity established an early music-driven identity for the brand.

  Source

• 2014

  North American brand relaunchStrategy

  Background

  Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. sought to revive the original North American brand with partners from music, entertainment, and design.

  Action taken

  British Knights N.A. was incorporated, Darren Romanelli joined as creative director, and the brand introduced a collaboration-focused collection under the slogan “Artists are the new athletes.”

  Aftermath

  The new styles were previewed at Agenda in Las Vegas on February 17, 2014, and released through high-end retailers on March 15, 2014.

  Source

• 1998

  Separate territorial trademark strategyStrategy

  Background

  Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. transferred British Knights trademarks in several territories to a European company.

  Action taken

  The European business continued manufacturing and distributing British Knights footwear in Europe and South America, separately from the original American operation.

  Aftermath

  The brand subsequently had distinct North American and European business operations; the European operation became associated with Achten Fashion Group.

  Source

• 2014

  British Knights revives its North American business[1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc. formed British Knights N.A. and relaunched the brand with music, entertainment, and design partners.

• 1991

  British Knights introduces Dymacel cushioning[1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Product generation

  British Knights introduced Dymacel, a silicone-based cushioning system designed to disperse impact and improve energy return.

• 1990

  British Knights signs MC Hammer for a full endorsement program[1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  Campaign

  The company signed MC Hammer, sponsored his tour, and used his participation in retail, contest, advertising, and anti-drug campaign activity.

• 1985

  British Knights launches its first sneaker collection[1]British Knightsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch · Product generation

  The brand introduced its first sneaker collection, accelerating sales and reinforcing its fashion-led approach to footwear.

1. 1British Knightsen.wikipedia.org