The Sneaker Cult
Michael Jordan and Nike were the founding stone of the Sneaker Culture in the world. Back then in 1984, Nike signed a $500,000 contract with none other than Michael Jordan. At that time, Nike wasn’t a leader like it is today. Most of them preferred Adidas including MJ. NIKE so desperately wanted to make it to the headline with launching their first ever collaboration with Michael Jordan. Yes those were the Air Jordans. The first Air Jordan was produced for Michael Jordan during his time with the Chicago Bulls in 1984 and designed by Peter b. Moore.
The brand Nike’s Air Jordan 1 shoes were divided into 3 main variants - The Mids, The Lows and The Highs. All of these variants vary by the ankle length. From 1984 till date Air Jordans have come with a ton of shoes. The limited supply of these kicks are the reason there is a whole resale market for that. The Resale Market which makes the sneaker culture an interesting place. The quantity of hyped sneakers launched by any company are so less that a $150 shoes can be sold for more than $2000.
The Brands which lie side by side the Air Jordans are Yeezys. Yeezys developed by Kanye West in collaboration with Adidas have also a significant market share in the Sneaker world. With collaborations with certain Personalities, There are collaborations with Brands the most likely Example of it is Off-White x Air Jordan. The collaborations shoes have a very limited quantity and cause a fortune in the resale market.
There’s a hype market living aside the Sneaker Culture its the market of hype clothing. Artists like Travis Scott have launched their own merchandise which is quite impossible to get at launch. These companies often launch their products once every quarter with limited supplies. Companies like Fear of God, Anti Social Social Club etc come with drops 4-5 times a year which make them super difficult to cop.
Yes I’m totally motivated to see what the next decade will look like for the sneaker culture. The Sneaker Culture and the Hyped Wear culture is here to stay for long. We can expect limited edition drop from daily wear companies like Calvin Klein, Lacoste etc. Indians have gotten well with the burst of Sneakers. Major Influencers and Celebs have forgotten luxury and have gone all in on Hype.