What few people understood or knew about ten years ago is now a topic that has entered the mainstream: sneaker collecting. Collecting shoes is no longer a rare hobby. Not only that, sneakers have become a part of the daily life of almost all social classes. This phenomenon has been visible for about ten years, which isn't that long when we realize that sneakers appeared more than 150 years ago.
For a long time, sneakers were worn more for functional than aesthetic reasons. Today we are talking about sneaker culture, which has made its mark in history and inspires people all over the world. We will embark on a journey with you to discover the origins of the term sneaker, how shoes with rubber soles inspired the streets, and ultimately influenced the fashion and financial markets. And we will try to be concise.
Where does the term "sneaker" actually come from?
This term was coined in 1917 by Henry Nelson McKinney, an employee of the advertising agency (NW Ayer & Sons) in the USA. In English, the word is derived from the verb "to sneak", which means something like "to creep". At that time, this was a unique selling point of this footwear, as the rubber sole made it almost silent compared to leather shoes when the wearer walked. The success that initially crept in exceeded expectations - the sneakers became legendary. By the way, in the United Kingdom and Australia, the term "trainer" is still more common.
How sneakers have captured hearts all over the world
Origins: tennis, croquet, and world wars
Before sneakers started being worn on the catwalks, a lot of time had passed. As you may know, sneakers have their origins in sports. Rubber-soled shoes were first created in the 1860s for tennis and croquet. The lightweight rubber sole was much more suitable than the leather-soled shoes that were common at the time. They were worn exclusively for this purpose for a long time. It is hard to say exactly when and how the first sports shoes started to be worn on the streets, and we do not want to delve too deeply into this question. It is certain, however, that in the USA it was children who first wore sneakers on the street, and Americans in general were the first to embrace sneakers on the street. In the period between the two world wars, there was a movement that was heavily condemned by the public. Governments wanted to train their armies as effectively as possible, so physical education classes began to be taught in schools, the gymnastics movement developed, and with it the production of sneakers, leading to their use on the streets. A little later, the era of aerobics also contributed to the fact that sneakers began to be worn as a fashion statement. However, the breakthrough came with the hype surrounding basketball (and in Europe, also football) shoes.
Breakthrough: basketball, hip-hop, and rebellion
The origins of sneaker culture lie in the battle of giants for the best basketball shoes. In the early 1980s, the basketball market was dominated by the brand Adidas, among other things with the Adidas Superstar model, which was celebrated on the streets of New York and gained legendary status in 1986 thanks to the song "My Adidas" by RUN DMC. Meanwhile, other brands have been spinning plans on how to rise to the forefront. This was primarily achieved by the brand Nike, which, in collaboration with Michael Jordan, launched the model Air Jordan 1 High. When it happened in 1985, basketball fans went wild. Everyone wanted the red and black Jordan 1. New basketball shoes and models like Adidas Samba (in Europe) have sparked a kind of aesthetic revolution. Young people at that time wanted to rebel against the norm, so they wore sports shoes on the street. Overall, sneakers have become a huge hit thanks to the blending of various subcultures: basketball, soccer, running, skateboarding, hip-hop, and many more.
Rise: sneaker collecting, collaborations, and sneakerheads
The boom in basketball shoes has led to an ever-increasing selection of color options. This diversity has been essential for the collecting culture. Even then, brands relied on artificial scarcity, creating a motivation to "fight" for the shoes or to spend a lot of time searching for them. The hip-hop movement rapped about sneakers in its songs and turned them into a status symbol. In addition to adult fans, there were also many children who adored Jordans but could not afford them.
This was also one of the reasons why sneaker collecting became so popular a few years later: kids grew up and could finally afford their grails and wanted to have them all. At that time, there were no raffles (like today in the NIKE SNKRS app) or global releases, so to get your hands on your beloved sneakers, you had to make connections. Thus, a community was formed that operates worldwide, stands by each other, and shares a common passion: to collect, wear, and admire sneakers and do everything possible to acquire them. Looking back, collectors say that thanks to their passion for sneakers, they met true friends. They agreed to go camping together, or they met on the day of the release. The culture of sneakers is not just about the shoes themselves, but also about the brands, the history of the shoes, creativity, art, exclusivity, and the story behind buying a pair. At this point, we consider it important to mention that a sneakerhead is not defined by the size of their collection, but rather by the determination with which they acquire a shoe.
In the 1980s, there were no sneaker stores as we know them in 2024. All of this developed over the course of decades. The community has grown immensely thanks to the first specialty stores and networking through the internet. In addition, the first collaborations with artists, brands, and stores emerged, which strengthened the history of sneakers and made it even more interesting. With the first camps and sold-out sneakers, resale prices within the community naturally increased. At that time, still within the bubble, it meant uninteresting to the mainstream. Back then, just like today, various types of people move within the community. Some people buy sneakers, to wear them, some display them at home as works of art, while others keep them for the future and admire them. And then there are those who resell them to make a profit. And this group has grown especially in the last few years, when sneakers have truly entered the mainstream.
Main points: resale, auctions, and high fashion
Today, sneakers are more than just everyday footwear for many people. Collectors consider them an investment comparable to gold and precious stones. In April 2023, a model of the Air Jordan 13S "1998 NBA Finals Game" was auctioned at Sotheby's in London for 2.2 million dollars. In 2021, the Nike Air Yeezy 1 "Grammy Awards" was auctioned for 1.8 million dollars. Absolutely crazy. Brands like Adidas and Nike continue to intentionally produce small editions that the community still queues up for and is willing to buy even at the highest prices. But how exactly did it happen?
As sneakers became increasingly popular, brands sought to generate even greater interest through collaborations with artists and luxury brands. Rihanna, Travis Scott, Kanye West, and especially Virgil Abloh (and that's just a few examples) have shaped the footwear industry with their iconic collaborations for nearly a decade and helped it grow. The buzz around their sneakers benefited not only the brands but also collectors and sellers. Collaborations were sold in such limited quantities that they could sometimes be resold for ten times the original price, and sometimes even more. In addition to the superstars who designed the shoes, stars like the Kardashians helped open up a completely new target audience for sneaker culture. Suddenly, a mix of premium and classic fashion appeared. Wearing rare and cool sneakers was becoming an increasingly significant expression of social status. Therefore, premium fashion brands like Chanel, Dior, and Louis Vuitton have increasingly embraced sneakers and have introduced their own. This subsequently led to the creation of a new target group.
And now?
Sneakers are and will remain the best footwear for everyday life, especially for us. We will always have a heart for sneaker collecting and the community. Because we can thank this community for where we are today. With Kanye West's departure from Adidas, the tragic death of Virgil Abloh after illness, and the takeover of sneaker production by high fashion houses, the hype around reselling and collecting is somewhat flattening. In 2024, we will experience a trend of price comparison and simple general releases that will delight the community. Basketball silhouettes that usually took center stage in collecting aren't that interesting this year. Now is the time to wear and collect old models from Adidas and we are sure that some of them will delight you. Sneakers will certainly always be an attractive collectible item and for some members of the community, also a valuable investment. Trends will come and go, and we will have a heart for all topics, and there will be interested collectors for all of them. If you want to expand your own sneaker collection, we are always here for you.
