Words and Art by:  Saskia Mortarotti

“You can tell a lot about people by their shoes, where they going, where they have been.”

These wise words from Forrest Gump’s mother ring true. The shoes people wear can speak volumes about their identity, especially for the subcultural group known as ‘sneakerheads’.

To wear or not to wear? To resell or not to resell? Which size is in most demand? Lots of questions. Sneaker enthusiasts have elevated sneaker collecting from a mere hobby to a lifestyle. Where a passion for sneakers meets entrepreneurship, for sneakerheads, the world of street fashion has become a high-stakes investment game. A game that does not escape controversy.

There is a perception that sneakerheads are making serious bank. The reality? Some are… others aren’t. I know various sneakerheads, many even. Coming out of school and joining this community was not an uncommon career path among my peers. Yet, their experiences are distinct. Speaking to the sneakerheads in my life, the casual resellers — who collect sneakers for pocket money or personal use — have confidently shared with me that they’ve made a profit from their sneaker purchases. However, for others, who took the leap of making their sneakerhead identity a career, they have experienced a financial loss.

Sneaker purchasing is a battle. Brands deliberately drop a limited amount of stock, inciting hype among punters. When shoes are released online, sneakerheads are up against fellow peers who may have the advantage of using ‘bots’ — automated software designed to complete online checkouts faster than humans. This is a particular point of controversy in the community. So, if you don’t have bots, it’s all up to luck and is a serious gamble. In the heat of feeling as though you’re a part of a competition, it is easy to get lost, and at times, sneakerheads don’t get it right. Whilst many see significant initial gains, the sustainability of the hustler lifestyle proves difficult, often meaning the generous income is short-lived. Foreseeing market trends and projecting popularity is a skill, and the sneakerhead space can be brutal. Navigating this world and making tough decisions as to whether to wear, sell or hoard, are pivotal and can lead to the shattering of the financial reality of this lifestyle.

Controversy lies in the grey areas of these supposedly entrepreneurial endeavours. It’s reasonable to suggest that the successful ones are making a living off of the ignorance of their clientele. They purchase sneakers at a market price, reselling them to the average person at a significantly scaled-up price. This markup is posed and justified as due to a process of ‘sourcing.’ This process can include simply posting into a Facebook group and asking fellow sneakerheads whether they have the shoe, purchasing it from them for a low cost, and reselling it to their customer for triple the price. The framing of sourcing relies on the customers’ ignorance of these sneaker communities and lack of understanding that they could obtain them that same way for less. Nonetheless, other customers are just lazy, and would prefer to pay excess for shoes they don’t have to endeavour to source themselves.

Whilst capitalising on customers’ ignorance is contentious, such mark-ups are often of no concern
to people in the streetwear scene. The price of a shoe is seemingly worth the extortionate cost, as the community understands the buzz. In the end, it is the satisfaction of feeling ‘in the know’ when wearing these sneakers that make the cost worthwhile. While they appear casually dressed down, people within the sneakerhead community have a shared understanding that this approach is a flex and symbol of status. To them, owning a coveted pair of sneakers grants them membership to an exclusive club of enthusiasts who understand the allure.

In the end, sneakerheads leave an indelible mark on the world of streetwear. This new paradigm, whereby a hobby has metamorphosed into a lifestyle, and fervour for sneakers has converged with an entrepreneurial spirit, has changed the landscape of shoes and fashion forever.