The Serious Business of Sneakers

Sneaker collecting is the acquisition and trading of shoes as a hobby. Collectors are called sneakerheads.

The sneakerhead subculture came to prominence in New York City during the 1980s.

Nike released the Air Jordan line in 1985, linked to Michael Jordan. The boom provided sheer variety for collectors.

Some pairs at Flight Club cost that much.

Since the 1970s, a strict rule forbade combining rival brands. Rival logos were treated like a restraining order.

In Japan, inflated prices for the Air Max 95 led to muggings.

Collectible sneakers resell well above retail price. StockX sold 1.8 billion dollars in merchandise in 2020 alone.

The sneaker resale market was worth 10 billion dollars in 2021. Some rubber soles hold value better than stocks.