British Knights is a shoe company founded in 1983 by Jack Schwartz Shoes Inc, based in New York City. In the 1980s, British Knights distinguished themselves as an inner-city and music driven brand, appealing to the predominantly male youth in urban communities.

British Knights was launched in 1983 as a casual shoe brand. In 1985 they introduced their first sneaker collection and sales exploded. In an environment where brands kept the same style in their line for years, British Knights was one of the first brands to recognize that the sneaker business was more about fashion than it was performance. By introducing a new collection three to four times a year, it became popular among 15-24 year old males in urban communities. The classic, “the shoe ain’t nothin’ without the BK button” became the brand’s mantra in reference to the diamond-shaped BK logo plate which was on every shoe.