Fly Since ’85 is a website catered to Sneakerheads all over the world who appreciate the history & fashion behind signature shoes lines given to prominent NBA players. Looking down at your feet and I know what you are thinking: you wish you were wearing something else instead of your bulky and dull boots. To be fair, fashion designers and apparel manufacturers have tried to be more creative with b
oots, but it is nothing compared to a pair of comfortable and fashionable sneakers. The sneaker culture is abuzz. People socialize about their sneakers, share photos of their sneakers, wait anxiously for a new line of sneakers and bid handsomely for a pair limited edition sneakers. Unlike other fashion trends, sneaker culture has never died; it stays as a cultural movement. Each passing generation of ingenious and restless youth enriches this culture with originality, inspirations and rebellious spirits. These young sneaker enthusiasts call themselves sneakerheads. To them, a pair of sneaker is more than just shoes. It speaks for style, status, nostalgia, and in some current designs, innovation. There are thousands of sneakerheads out there, who are willing to line up in front of shoe stores on the release date with a glimmering hope of having their hands on a limited pair of sneakers. These special edition pairs cost $200 to $300 on average. These shoes represent a subculture of style. Each silhouette, colour and shape is embedded with a status or a message. The colourful design of these sneakers speaks well to sneakerhead population, who constantly seek for ways to stand out, to be noticeable. Being a trendsetter or the center of the crowd seems to be the ultimate dream. A flashy pair of sneakers can certainly do the trick. Manufactures’ hype marketing is also responsible for the increasing popularity of the sneaker culture. They release only a limited number of each shoes at a time making it the most wanted item on the market. Alike any fashion item, the more prestige the brand, the more exclusive the releases are. A well designed pair of Adidas and Reebok will make people look, but Air Jordan is definitely the topic of the conversation, and it is what trendsetters are seeking after. Other popular sneaker brands are New Balance, Nike, Puma, Supra and Vans. These shoes have made their appearances in many high schools and colleges across North America. This culture started in 1984 when Michael Jordan signed with Nike to design “Air Jordan I” in 1985. Retailed for $65, it was the most expensive shoe on the market at the time. Now you can possibly find a pair of Air Jordan I on eBay at $1,500. Benefiting from the increasing demand, manufacturers are making the sneakers more exclusive by reducing the number of release each time and increasing the price. Unfortunately, the robust growth of sneaker culture in the past few years has caused some distresses. Accidents happen more frequently to young sneakerheads over the ownership of the latest shoe. Lines are forming weeks before the release date in front of the store, or YouTube videos of youngsters licking the sole of their brand new shoes. Grey market, fakes and opportunity sales are some of the consequences. The sneaker culture is entering a new chapter. In 2009, two brothers, Alan and Barris Vinogradov along with their partner Yu-Ming Wu rented a space in Times Square. They brought in 20 vendors, charged these vendors $100 each, and sold $10 tickets to the public; it was the very first SneakerCon. More than 1,000 people came to the festival to buy, sell, trade and exchange their kicks. Last year, in addition to the one in New York in July, the team expanded the festival to Washington D.C, Chicago and Miami. The number of attendees is growing exponentially as well as the number of shoes at the venues. Some people collect sneakers as a hobby. Some look at them as an investment. It is not rare to find several thousand dollar kicks at trading festival such as SneakerCon. Buyers always try to outbid other for a good pair of shoes, whilst sellers are looking to make some money for a better pair. A skillful sneakerhead is all about the better: better quality, better profit.
- written by Freshh Anderson & Tak Pham of DeckdOut Blog
