• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, March 2, 2007

The shoe became part of every woman's wardrobe in the years following its 1982 introduction, whether in aerobic classes or on the street. And its "Life is not a spectator sport" ad campaign starred women like Cindy Crawford and Paula Abdul. And yes, the company expects that timeless fashion wisdom--"If you wore it the first time around, you're too old to wear it now"--will apply.

"Reebok's target consumer for the Freestyle 25h Anniversary Collection is the 18- to-24-year-old style-first female, with a strong sense of individuality and a bold sense of style," said Deena Bahri, Reebok's director of lifestyle marketing.

That makes sense to the shoe cognoscenti. "There's a big demand for authenticity when it comes to sneakers," said Kevin Wittau, the classic athletic buyer for Zappos.com. "A young consumer is very savvy now and knows how to differentiate an authentic brand or style from another wannabe. They want credibility, and having some kind of story about the shoes they're wearing goes a long way."

The Freestyle push comes just weeks after Nike launched a marketing campaign for Air Force 25, the 25th-anniversary editor of its Air Force 1 basketball shoe. And Adidas and Converse have also had big hits with re-engineered classics. "We find that the retro styles have much more momentum on the men's side," Wittau said. "However, brands are desperately trying to find that woman consumer."

The 25 Candles Freestyle will retail for about $80. Prices for the collection, which will include six styles, range from $65 to $150. Marketing includes print advertising in key fashion publications, along with Web, viral and in-store support. And just for old times' sake, the company said it expected actress Cybill Shepard to show at the launch party. The actress made an appearance at the 1985 Emmys (surely, you remember "Moonlighting?") in a pair of bright orange Freestyles and a black strapless gown.

Of course, it's doubtful the shoe can ever be as big a hit as it was in the day: In 1984, Freestyle sales accounted for half of Reebok's revenues. "The Freestyle launch will be a success if we can get the young stylish consumers excited about wearing this iconic shoe," said Bahri. "It's not about volume. It's about building buzz at the top. "