Sneaker Aficionados Predict What’s Next For Footwear Market
THEY FORESEE MORE DAD SHOES, MORE COLLABORATIONS AND MORE HYPE.
INITIALLY, IT WAS ATHLETES who moved the needle in the sneaker industry. While celebrities validated particular styles — consider Run-DMC's impact on Adidas' shell-toe Superstars — they weren't as involved with design or big-brand deals until the Aughts when Jay Z signed a multiyear deal with Reebok, which led to a series of other partnerships with artists ranging from 50 Cent to Nelly. Now Kanye West has folded into Adidas with his Yeezy collection, and Virgil Abloh is wielding his creative prowess at Nike — and Louis Vuitton men's wear.
But, as with most industries, influencers are starting to stake their claim as not only product pushers but designers.
“With the rise of vlogging, Snapchat and Instagram Stories, people crave authentic connections,” said Ray Polanco Jr., a consultant and sneaker influencer. “Brands will be tapping tastemakers, who are more relatable to everyday people as opposed to solely relying on mega superstars.”
Polanco referenced the energy behind Sean Wotherspoon's Nike Air Max collaboration and the success of Gary Vaynerchuk's K-Swiss collection. There's also Aleali May's popular Air Jordan 1 that ignited the Jordan brand's bigger push into the women's market.
WWD spoke to influencers from all over the world to find how they got involved in sneakers, their storage woes and what they predict for the market.
LANDY, TOKYO
WWD: What sparked your interest in sneakers?
Landy: I was always into sneakers as any kid would be, but frequent travels to Asia exposed me to ravenous collector culture in Japan and Hong Kong. In the early Aughts, you began to see the intersection of sneaker culture and the art/design world and that's when I became really hooked.
WWD: How are you storing your sneakers?
L: My main challenge is living in Tokyo and I simply don't have the space. I actually keep the rest of my sneakers in a climate-controlled storage back home in the U.S. and rotate my collection in and out whenever I'm back in town.
WWD: What’s a pair of sneakers you’d never sell?
L: Fragment Design x Nike Lab Air Jordan 1. I'm a longtime fan of the godfather of streetwear, Hiroshi Fujiwara; this is one of his best collaborations with the Nike brand.
WWD: What’s the pair of sneakers you want but haven’t been able to purchase?
L: The Nike HTM Multicolor Flyknit Trainer.
WWD: What do you predict for the sneaker market?
L: You'll see the chunky sneaker trend regrettably continue for the rest of the year. Too many people are driven by the “hype” of a sneaker and what look is in at the moment, but fatigue is starting to settle in due to how hard it is keep up and/or obtain the product. There will be a course correction as both the sneaker companies create more product to satisfy some of the demand but also some people just return to more simple and classic looks, as it's already happened with the Vans Old Skool. You'll also see the luxury sneaker market grow exponentially where the sneakers are easier to get, but the only barrier to entry is simply price.
MIKE “UPSCALE VANDAL”
CAMARGO, NEW YORK
WWD: What sparked your interest in sneakers?
Mike Camargo: Drug dealers. My sister's friends and drug dealers were the only people I wanted to dress like.
WWD: How are you storing your sneakers?
M.C.: My storage situation is a nightmare. I have one closet with drop-front clear boxes, floor to ceiling against all four walls, and the center of the room looks like a mosh pit. Then I have another room that looks like a hurricane hit the inside of Stadium Goods. It's getting outta hand.
WWD: What’s a pair of sneakers you’d never sell?
M.C.: I would never sell my Nike Unkle Dunks. It took me too long to find them and they're one of my grails.
WWD: What’s the pair of sneakers you want but haven’t been able to purchase?
M.C.: The blue and yellow Supreme Trainer SB. I've been looking for about five years. This is the last on my grails list, and I haven't been able to find a deadstock pair in my size.
WWD: What do you predict for the sneaker market?
M.C.: I predict a lot more collaborative efforts. I think footwear companies are starting to realize that the culture is responsible for a majority of their business, so they are trying to adapt by tapping young, up-and- coming street talent.
DEEDEE NEGRON, NEW YORK
WWD: What sparked your interest in sneakers?
DeeDee Negron: My sister. She would usually tell my mom to not purchase sneakers for me when I was younger because I wouldn't take care of them. The last straw was when the first retro Jordan 13s released around Christmas 2004. I also wanted the PS2 because I was heavily addicted to video games. I told my mom to get me the shoes, it would be cheaper. Retail was like $84.99 for grade school. When Christmas came around the corner I opened the box — it was a PS2 and I was mad.
WWD: Where do you store your sneakers?
D.N.: In one location in my parents' house and I have close to two closets filled with sneakers. A lot of sneaker collectors have storage problems. I am now in the process of switching my boxes to clear containers. It makes life easier and more organized.
WWD: What’s a pair of sneakers you’d never sell?
D.N.: I would not sell any of my Ewing sneakers, my Don Cs and any of my vintage sneakers.
WWD: What’s the pair of sneakers you want but haven’t been able to purchase?
D.N.: Off-White Air Jordan 1s in white; the Aleali May Air Jordan 1; Yeezys, and the Off-White Prestos.
WWD: What do you predict for the sneaker market?
D.N.: I predict that the market is going to be the same as it is now. Meaning prices are high, they will decrease but then go up. There are plenty of shoes that have resale rates that aren't that high, so people like myself are taking the opportunity to purchase the shoes before the price goes up.
RAY POLANCO JR., LOS ANGELES
WWD: What sparked your interest in sneakers?
Ray Polanco Jr.: Art. Even though I'm an introvert, I really enjoy expressing my thoughts and feelings through fashion. I believe sneakers are the only form of art everyone is capable of understanding because everyone wears them.
WWD: Where do you store your sneakers?
R.P.: I used to keep my sneakers in their original box until last year. I've recently gotten into interior design and decided to create a shelving unit where I can display my sneakers as an art piece that changes themes and colors whenever I want. This shelf setup displays about 40 pairs of sneakers and honestly I've sold 90 percent of my sneakers that didn't fit on there. I realized that I would often forget about my sneakers if they were tucked away in boxes because I have so many. I'm not a fan of wasted space anymore. If I want them back, I'm sure Nike or Adidas will retro the shoe in four or five years. I'm patient enough to wait. ►