As far as hobbies go, collecting rare objects has been one of the more popular activities to do. The rule of the game is that one has to hunt for an object rather than just going and buying it. It starts early on in everyone’s lives when as a kid, they start to collect stickers or cards, but adult collections are infinitely more valuable. These collections move onto art, and out of which is the collection of sneakers. Sneaker collections include different types of sneakers like the rare Jordan sneakers that are believed to be one of the first.
This article aims to present information on sneaker collecting through its nature and the most popular sneakers one can collect. Though the motivation behind this hobby may be to fuel one’s ego, it has gained legitimacy around the world as a culture. Hopefully, by the end of this article, the readers will be educated about this culture.
What is Sneaker Collecting Culture?
Like any other art hobby, sneaker collecting is driven by the control upon the amount of product along with the history of their making. It refers to the trading of sneakers as a hobby, just like trading paintings for the taste of it. They gain their value by factors like their use and the fashion line that they were part of. Some of the high-end brands even make sneakers that are just for a closed social circle. It is common in basketball culture for its history. A person who likes to collect sneakers is called a sneakerhead in sneaker culture.
The sneaker fashion became popular in the 1980s in American culture with two important influences on the general population. The first reason for the rise of sneakers was the fame of the basketball star Michael Jordan and the line of shoes named after him called “Air Jordan”. The fact that it was a limited edition sparked people’s interest easily. The other reason behind their popularity was their use in hip-hop music videos, which made them a credible fashion item for being cool. Both of these events gave birth to the sneaker culture.
Over the decades, sneaker culture spread across continents and had become a worldwide phenomenon by the 2010s. Despite the criticisms from the community about the gentrification of the culture, the pretentious art bourgeois benefits from their capital more than the poor.
Some Of The Popular Authentic Sneakers
After its cultural boom, every high-end brand looked to profit off the sneakerhead culture. Many exclusive lines of sneakers were released, but their value was decided by the sneakerheads and not the brands. They favoured particular colour schemes like white and black or based on what a celebrity wore. Below are some of the examples of popular sneakers:
● Air Jordan
Air Jordan was one of the first to kick-start the cultural popularity of sneakers. They were designed for Michael Jordan in 1984 and released to the public in 1985. Rare Jordan sneakers are now a top-class status symbol in the sneakerhead culture due to their historical relevance and their contribution to the subculture.
● Air Force
Even though these sneakers were released before the Air Jordan, these only gained relevance because of their popularity. These are known to be the first shoes that used Nike Air technology. Today, there are many variants of this available that were released over the years, but their most notable trademark remains a medallion pierced in the laces with “AF1” engraved on them.
● Nike Air Yeezy
Made with a special collaboration with the hip-hop superstar Kanye West, Nike released these to the public in 2009. Kanye’s personal involvement in the design and that he had chosen one of the 3 colours it was released in made these an immediate hit.
