Tag: Off-White

Caption: Kanye West wearing the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 “Zebra” during a performance at Guaranteed Rate Field in July 2017. This Adidas Yeezy Boost V2 is one of the most popular sneakers all-time and immediately sold-out upon release in 2017. Image via of http://www.UrbFash.com

In the years since I graduated from college in 2015, I have undergone a massive change in my life. No I have not found that ever elusive secret underground tunnel to London or discovered a new diet to grant me eternal abs, but rather my love for tennis shoes has blossomed. Wait, tennis shoes you ask? Yes, tennis shoes, or sneakers, kicks, trainers, whatever you want to call them. In my esteemed opinion, tennis shoes are the most glorious accessory you can own and this is my ode to them. 

My passion for shoes has long been an ongoing theme in my life, but for this blog I want to explore how this burgeoning hobby became more of a financial asset that I continue to add to as often as I can. You see, shoes nowadays are big business thanks to the likes of tastemakers Kanye West (the Adidas and Nike Yeezy versions), Virgil Abloh and his Off-White collaboration with Nike, and of course the classic Air Jordan silhouettes that never go out of style, at least the OG (original versions) of editions one through 14. These shoes can vary in price but some go as high as $79,000 which is the asking price for a pair of Nike Low SB Paris Dunks on StockX which bills itself as the sneaker stock market of sorts. While I myself do not own such a pair, it is truly fascinating to see how you can collect tennis shoes in the same vein as classic art, wine or vinyl records. Sneakers have a massive following on the internet and everyone from YouTube stars to social media bloggers have an opinion, it just goes to show that if you follow your passion, sometimes the money will follow. 

While I want to go more in-depth in an article to follow about the cultural and business significance (the Air Jordan 11’s, anyone?) of some of my favorite sneakers, there is no shortage of content nowadays about sneaker reselling. There are dozens of accredited YouTube vloggers who review the hottest releases coming out on a weekly basis and companies like Complex have made multiple shows showcasing just how wide sneakers are connected to pop culture. In fact, Complex’s “Sneaker Shopping” series might be the best example of just how insanely high these shoes can be valued at and how buying them in clusters can be more than a brand new car! Indeed when a rapper like Future spends $38,971.85 on sneakers and clothing or NBA player P.J. Tucker drops $33,283.10 at Flight Club you know that this can certainly become a substantial business. 

Now before we go forward, I would be remiss in saying I am not comparing you and I to multi-millionaire entertainers and athletes, but rather shedding a light on a topic you might not have had much interest in before. One of the best parts about wearing a pair of shoes is the connection you can have to another person that you might not have had before. Wearing a new pair of Air Jordan White Cement 4’s might mean you are a fan of Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” or that you just love the story behind Michael Jordan wearing them in 1989. Whatever the case, each shoe can have a story to tell. In fact, dress shoes like Clarks have even been name-dropped by Staten Island’s Wu-Tang Clan in songs which goes to show how these brands have had such crossover appeal and economic resonance. Wu-Tang later collaborated with Clarks to drop their own pair of Wallabees in the 2010’s to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their iconic album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). 

While I absolutely want to shed more light on the sneaker reselling world and its economic connections to pop culture, I am afraid this is where we must bid adieu. So please at the end of this post I want you to write down your favorite shoes and wear them today. Also feel free to give me a shout out on Twitter with your favorite kicks on and I will send you mine. Everyone has a favorite pair of sneakers they have owned over time and each one has their own awesome story to share.