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Skateboard

Skateboard

Phaidon
№220
£39.50
£0.00 £39.50
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Experts Say

Cover[s] everything from the first boards and videos right up to the modern day plank we all know and love – plus a few quirky, forgotten side quests in between - Thrasher

Why It Made The List

It's a definitive, design-led chronicle of skateboard evolution — from 1950s wooden planks to modern high-performance decks. Curated by designer and former skater Jonathan Olivares in collaboration with Converse, it features over 100 boards photographed to scale, alongside technical insights, archival action shots, and cultural context. Pro models from icons like Tony Hawk and Natas Kaupas sit alongside DIY builds and rare graphics, tracing the sport’s rise as both counterculture and art form. With over 500 images across 240 pages, it’s a bold, beautifully produced tribute to form, function, and skateboarding’s lasting global impact.

 

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SPECIFICATIONS

Author: Jonathan Olivares
Foreword by: Paul “Professor” Schmitt
Format: Hardcover
Dimensions: 270 × 205 mm (10 5/8 × 8 1/8 in)
Page count: 240 pages
Illustrations: Approximately 500 colour images
Publication date: May 22, 2024
Publisher: Phaidon Press
Language: English
Weight: 1.42 kg (3.13 lbs)

Content scope: Over 100 skateboards, tracing the design evolution from the 1950s to present

Photography: Skateboards photographed to scale, paired with archival and lifestyle imagery

MORE DETAIL

This is the definitive visual history of skateboard design, tracing its evolution from the 1950s to the present day.

Organised by decade, the book explores landmark innovations—from the basic wooden planks of the early '60s to the complex, performance-driven shapes used today.

It showcases pivotal models like the 1963 Skee‑Skate and signature pro decks from legends such as Laura Thornhill and Tony Hawk.

Featuring over 500 images—both archival and newly photographed—many boards are shown to scale, offering a detailed look at their form, construction, and graphics.

Each entry is paired with thoughtful commentary that unpacks material changes, cultural shifts, and the influence of designers and riders over time.

At 240 pages in a 27 × 20.5 cm hardcover format, Skateboard is as much a design object as it is a reference. It’s a beautifully made book for skaters, designers, historians, or anyone fascinated by the intersection of sport, style, and culture.

This is more than a history book—it’s a celebration of the object that launched a global movement.

SHIPPING AND RETURNS

SHIPPING OPTIONS

We offer free standard delivery (Tracked 48) on orders over £90.

Royal Mail Tracked 48 (2-3 business days): £2.95

Royal Mail Tracked 24 (usually delivered next business day if ordered by 2pm the business day before, but not 100% guaranteed): £5.95

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Royal Mail Next Day by 1pm (guaranteed delivery by 1pm next business day, if ordered by 2pm the business day before. Not available on bladed products): £12.95

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RETURNS

We offer 100-day returns, provided items are returned in a perfectly re-sellable condition (undamaged and in original condition with tags/packaging). For more detailed information on conditions of return and the process involved, please see our Returns policy page.

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