that in the early 1700s, in Holland, an unknown Dutchman who wanted to go ice-skating in the summer nailed wooden spools to strips of wood and attached them to his shoes. 'Skeelers' was the nickname given to the new dry-land skaters.
In1760 Belgian inventor, Joseph Merlin introduced the first patented roller skate and wore his new skates to a party in London, where he crashed into a very expensive mirror. Pretty cut up he lost interest in the whole idea but others produced some roller skate models, most with in-line wheels to imitate the ice skating blade.
Let's fast forward about 100 years (and probably more than a handful of accidents) to 1863. James Plimpton, a businessman from Massachusetts invented the "rocking" skate - a roller skate that could turn, so you could miss the expensive mirrors!
Plimpton opened a skating club in New York and soon the 'gentlemen' were doing fancy figures, steps and turns, to impress the ladies.
By the end of the century roller skating had become a popular pastime for both men and women and contests were on the increase, everything from the hockey-like, "roller polo," to dance and figure skating contest indoors to speed skating outside. The more the public saw of skating, the more they wanted to try it themselves and so the first roller skating boom started.
We've all seen the movies based in the '50s with the drive-in diners and roller skating waitresses, skating was still popular.
A second big skating boom occurred in the late 70's through mid 80' - with the marriage of disco and roller-skating to create roller-disco. With thousands of roller-discos in operation, even Hollywood got in on the act and began making roller-movies.
However, things were changing. On the West Coast skateboarding was becoming popular and then came the development of the new breed of in-line skates. Heralded as something new these were really just the re-invention of the very first skates.
In1760 Belgian inventor, Joseph Merlin introduced the first patented roller skate and wore his new skates to a party in London, where he crashed into a very expensive mirror. Pretty cut up he lost interest in the whole idea but others produced some roller skate models, most with in-line wheels to imitate the ice skating blade.
Let's fast forward about 100 years (and probably more than a handful of accidents) to 1863. James Plimpton, a businessman from Massachusetts invented the "rocking" skate - a roller skate that could turn, so you could miss the expensive mirrors!
Plimpton opened a skating club in New York and soon the 'gentlemen' were doing fancy figures, steps and turns, to impress the ladies.
By the end of the century roller skating had become a popular pastime for both men and women and contests were on the increase, everything from the hockey-like, "roller polo," to dance and figure skating contest indoors to speed skating outside. The more the public saw of skating, the more they wanted to try it themselves and so the first roller skating boom started.
We've all seen the movies based in the '50s with the drive-in diners and roller skating waitresses, skating was still popular.
A second big skating boom occurred in the late 70's through mid 80' - with the marriage of disco and roller-skating to create roller-disco. With thousands of roller-discos in operation, even Hollywood got in on the act and began making roller-movies.
However, things were changing. On the West Coast skateboarding was becoming popular and then came the development of the new breed of in-line skates. Heralded as something new these were really just the re-invention of the very first skates.
So what happened to roller skates? Well they have survived and now there is an ever-increasing movement of rhythm skaters; performing unbelievable tricks and moves to music, often on home-developed roller skates designed to make the impossible, possible.
For now there is a line of clothes made just for you
... the modern roller skater.
Skate Swagger is a fashion that has the ability to identify you for who you are, and what you are about - that ultimate skater, passionate about the world of skating!
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