Do you remember your first pair of sneakers? If your answer is yes, then maybe you are part of the sneakerhead culture. Wait, you don’t know what “sneakerhead culture” means?
The dictionary defines a sneakerhead as “a person involved in sneaker collecting and selling is sometimes called a sneakerhead,” but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Does having a lot of shoes make you a sneakerhead? You may ask since I have many shoes, does that make me a sneakerhead? Maybe, but that isn’t the only criteria to be part of a culture that has become a $79 billion dollar industry. For some people, sneakers are just shoes, not anything special. But for those who want something that shows off their interest and passion, congratulations! You pass the first test on becoming part of this culture, as shoes are the best choice to show who you are.
There are thousands of expensive shoes in the market today but a true sneakerhead doesn’t really focus on the price. They look for something that makes a statement to others about who you are and what you like. It is not about the brand or who is selling the shoe, but how the shoes in the first part of the story will reveal your passion to express yourself.
The sneakerhead culture first started in the late 1970 to early 1980 with various brands like the Puma Clydes, Adidas Shell Toes, and Converse Chuck Taylors. However the culture exploded with popularity with the release of Nike’s Air Jordan 1s in 1985. It started a movement ever since the NBA banned the popular shoe and Nike paid its athletes money to cover the fines.
Today, celebrities like Kanye West, Travis Scott along with luxury designers like Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior have expressed their own personality and culture on sneakers, which allows people to choose from a variety of different types of shoes. Some people may just want to “flex” and get something that is expensive and limited, but true sneakerheads desire to find something that shows off what they feel is a masterpiece.
(There is a name for those who just buy shoes without knowing anything: Hypebeast. They are “hyped up” about shoes and buy the most expensive shoes to resell them by overcharging others.)
The Sneakerhead culture is not just buying shoes; but it can be described as a community or even a family. People from all across the globe can connect and debate about sneaker history, releases and what people are wearing. Sneakerheads view the shoes as a piece of art, looking at every detail to see what appeals to them the most just like someone would with the Mona Lisa or a Jackson Pollock masterpiece. Every sneaker has a story and a Sneakerhead has a great story to tell. What is your story?