Freddie Mercury's Tiger high top sneakers, circa 1979/early 1980s

Freddie Mercury’s Tiger high top sneakers, c.1979/early 1980s

A pair of ‘Onitsuka Tiger’ High Top sneakers, black nylon with white leather logos on sides probably worn exclusively off-stage – Freddie wore white versions of ‘Onitsuka Tiger’ boots on stage, but it seems likely these black versions were reserved for off-stage wear as they would not have been visible on-stage.

Freddie is first photographed wearing white Onitsuka Tiger High Tops on stage in late 1979. Peter Freestone recalled how Freddie’s use of ‘boxing boots’ and red vinyl trousers on stage first occurred in 1979 and heralded a new change of image for Mercury. Freestone had just started working with Queen as their wardrobe assistant on the British leg of the Crazy tour when Freddie decided he was going to go for a new look. Freestone recalls: “I had to buy three pairs of red PVC trousers.. [a few] … ties to act as belts…skate-boarding knee pads and, really lightweight white boots with black stripes, the sort that boxers wear.” Freddie’s new macho style replaced his catsuits and ballet shoes.

LITERATURE

‘Queen’s Greatest Pix’, Jacques Lowe, Quartet Books, 1981, illus. p.58

Peter Freestone with David Evans, Freddie Mercury, Omnibus Press, 2009, p.21

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