"Interest in sports shoe collecting, or rather interest in sneaker culture, has blossomed from being the preserve of hardcore ‘sneaker freaks’ to full-blown mainstream phenomenon: you can’t walk into a sports shoe store these days without beings confronted with a range of fresh designs, old skool favourites, limited edition models and so-called ‘rare’ shoes, all in a myriad of colourways. Sneakers have moved out from the sports arena and exploded into popular culture as a fashion staple which simultaneously transcends race and class, yet defines who you are in today’s urban tribes. This fact has not been missed by the leading brands, which nurture the collector’s market by very carefully releasing or reissuing certain designs or colourways in selected territories, or by collaborating with cult urban fashion labels such as Stussy or Evisu to produce limited edition shoes that often sell out within hours of their release.
Sneaker culture itself stems from many different backgrounds, and certain shoes become indelibly linked with various music genres and subcultures. The relationship to music is one aspect that cannot be ignored. The punk and acid-jazz music scenes, for example, have adopted particular styles as their own. Hip-hop has been one particular genre in which the shoes have been an integral part of the culture. Many rap tracks cite particular models and brands as favourites – and many of those brands offer endorsement packages to key players on the hip-hop scene.
Urban or ‘extreme’ sports, such as skateboarding, have contributed heavily to the sneaker world as well. These subcultures have developed their own specialised shoes, with an emphasis on the various different technologies that are relevant to their particular activities.
This is not to say that mainstream sports have not played an equally important role: many of the acknowledged classics – from the Converse All Star to the Adidas Superstar –were designed with basketball in mind. The rise in popularity of that game boasts key stars, big personalities, and a huge following of fans, who are sometimes more focused on the shoes than the sports.
Not surprisingly, collectors vary tremendously from person to person. What is deemed collectable by one individual may not be appealing to the next person. The price of shoes can vary from £50 for a new pair of Converse All Stars to over £1000 from limited edition designs or rare originals, such as the Adidas Jabbar. Some collectors have achieved cult celebrity within the sneaker world – people like Bobbito Garcia have become acknowledged authorities on their subject.
In recent years, the array of stores selling sneakers and the sheer number available have changed dramatically. More and more classics have been re-released, and international chains stores have brought a selection to town and city centres around the world as never before.
The internet plays an ever greater role. Some websites act as online stores or auction houses, with heated bidding among those wanted to buy rare or premium designs, while others provide a wealth of information and have active communities of users who share information with each other."
- Unorthodox Styles.
Sneakerheads is a photo project that looks at the people who make-up this ever-growing sneaker community in the UK, and how social networking apps such as Instagram are influencing the diversity, amongst one community who are united through expressing themselves through their footwear.
A by-stander takes a picture on his phone of Harvey Newman’s brand new Nike X Tiffany Dunk’s.
Oxford Street, London, 2014.
Zak Marhri has been buying Air Jordan trainers for 2 years and currently has over 40 pairs - some of which still haven’t been worn yet.
“I work as an engineer 5 days a week so I only have Saturday and Sunday to wear my trainers, and then I’m like, now which one’s do I wear?”
Wembley, London, 2014.
Ronan Walsh’s top 5 favourite pairs of kicks.
Lewisham, London, 2014.
Sneaker collector Ronan Walsh stands outside Nike exhibition store, 1948, where he works.
“I’m running out of space... I’m trying to have a one-in one-out situation. I don’t want to be that guy whose like ‘yeah, I’ve got 200 pairs’. I just want to have a nice collection and love everything”.
Shoreditch, London, 2014.
Campers sleep during the early hours of the morning in anticipation of the Supreme 20th anniversary collection.
Soho, London, 2014.
Allen Marshall sits on his camping bag after sleeping on Peter Street over night, in anticipation for the Supreme 20th aniversary collection.
Allen runs a YouTube channel that reviews different trainers and has almost 2000 subscribers.
Soho, London, 2014.
A group of campers move to McDonald’s for food after being kicked off Oxford Street and out of Cavendish Square Gardens.
Oxford Circus, London, 2014.
People que outside the London Supreme store as they wait to purchase apparel from the 20th anniversary collection, after camping overnight.
Soho, London, 2014.
Boxes of trainers stacked in Kish Kash’s bedroom.
Kish Kash has over 3000 pairs of kicks that he has accumilated of 20 years. He is now regarded internationally as a trainer connoiseur and is an ambassador for website, Sneakerpedia.
Kentish Town, London, 2014.
Trainer connoiseur and long standing sneaker community influential, Kish Kash, is interviewed at London sneaker event, Crepe City 10.
Shoreditch, London, 2014.
[From L-R] Ralph, JJ & Billy travelled from Essex to attend London sneaker event, Crepe City. The boys purchased V.I.P. tickets to guarantee them entry and each bought a new pair of kicks.
Ralph wears Nike Aix Max 95 - £90
JJ wears Air Jordan XI (breds) - £200
Billy wears Nike Air Flows - (£90)
Spitalfields, London, 2014.
Anthony meanders through London sneaker event, Crepe City, spraying guests shoes with Crep Protector Spray, whilst his colleague, Dwayne, takes photographs for their website.
Shoreditch, London, 2014.
A group of friends discuss and point out trainers to each other at London sneaker event, Crepe City.
Shoreditch, London, 2014.
Andy Knight has been collecting trainers for 15 years. His collection includes 95 different pairs of Nike Air Max 1’s.
Andy is seen here wearing the Parra X Patta Nike Air Max 1 shoe, signed by Nike designer Tinker Hatfield. Hatfield’s innovative Nike athletic shoe designs have seen him produce multiple Air Jordan shoes, as well as the first Air Max shoe.
Big Chill Bar, Bristol, 2014.
Sneaker box invite people into inside the Big Chill Bar, host of Bristol’s first trainer event.
Bristol, 2014.
Adidas fanatic, Louis Daniel co-founded the sneaker & lifestyle events group, Fresh Laces.
Shoreditch, London, 2014.
Morgan Weekes is part of the Crepe City team who host the biggest trainer event in London. He currently studies graphic design at University for the Creative Arts. Morgan would like to eventually become a shoe designer and is hoping to be accepted by Saucony to work as an intern once he has finished his degree.
Soho, London, 2014.
Crepe City member, Morgan Weekes, talks to friends whilst visitng Britsol for the city’s first ever trainer event, Sneaker Box.
Big Chill Bar, Bristol, 2014.
Adrian Graham is the uncle of 6-year-old, Rashayne Gordan. Adrian has over 50 pairs of sneaker him self but told me,
“Rashayne has quite a few pairs of trainers too, but his feet are still growing so there’s no point in buying him any more. His little sister is given his trainers that are too small for him”.
Big Chill Bar, Bristol, 2014.
Tommy holding his brand new Nike X Tiffany Dunk shoes. He camped out over night on Oxford Street with a number of other sneakerheads who were all wanting to buy the same shoe. Tommy was first in line and first to purchase the new colourway.
Unfortunately, Tommy wears a UK 7.5 but Niketown, where he bought the shoes, were not stocking this model in half sizes.
“My girlfriend was online for me to try buy the 7.5 but they’re all gone. I’ll probably try swap these for my size but if not then just sell them and use the money to buy what I want.”
Oxford Circus, London, 2014.
