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It’s only a lucky few who can say that Ciara sang “Happy Birthday” to them on their big day — her family, her friends, her high-profile Fashion Week cohorts. But at Keds’ 100th birthday celebration this week, the dance queen bombshell initiated a special serenade for the brand (whose latest campaign she fronts).
A personalized Happy Birthday tune (and throwback performance of "Goodies," "Lose Control") was far from the only noteworthy moment of Wednesday night's bash, though. A massive timeline made up an entire wall of the party venue, spanning a century of Keds moments — from its canvas-topped, rubber-soled start in 1916 to this week's reveal of the latest spokeswomen. Guests mingled with members of the Keds Collective, including Allison Williams and Billie Whitehouse, and later walked away with personalized kicks in hand.
"The significance of Keds’ history is undeniable," the brand's president, Chris Lindner, says. "As Keds celebrates its centennial year, we hold a heightened focus on the importance of both the women wearing our sneakers out in the world as well as those who are shaping the brand from within." This thinking not only aligns perfectly with Keds' Ladies First initiative but might even have been the key to the brand's continued success. After all, it's not every day a fashion brand earns a 100th-birthday claim to fame. Jump ahead for an inside look at what happens when it does — stars and sneaker chandeliers included.
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