Xue Mingsan. Photo provided to Shanghai Star

Zhou Xiaolan, one of the best women volleyball players in the world in the 1980s, and retired female basketball player Zheng Haixia also wore Warriors.

Sports shoes change little in design or style as long as they function well as athletic footwear. But for the young and fashion-savvy, function and comfort are not enough.

Future goals: The main task for Gui and his team is how to differentiate the fashionable young attuned to Western-style marketing from the nostalgia-driven, budget-conscious old-timers.

Their aim is to satisfy both target groups without compromising brand integrity.

Warrior offers the classic style for less than 100 yuan, and several times that price for a pair that is customized with hand painted designs.

But there is still a long way to go before Warrior's reaches its long term goal of regaining its past glory as the country's top professional sports footwear brand.

Its short-term task is to produce a range of fashionable, professional and leisure sportwear.

But the ultimate goal is to regain its stature as China's best sportwear brand.