SOLD SCHOOL - HIP HOP SNEAKERS

Lately I’ve developed a concern that the sneaker game has become somewhat pedestrian. I’m seeing the nuttiest shit no matter where I go. I’m clocking middle-age mums and dads rocking Adidas Athens and Puma Clydes respectively. I’m witnessing Aunty types wearing canvas CT All Stars in chocolate mono and sporty uncles ambitiously exhibiting Air Max 90s in White/Infrared. These people are not involved in the sneaker trade and not regular trainer purchase people, yet they just love the aesthetic of this darned footwear. I suspect that something is now sadly amiss within the trainer terrene we’re involved with today, whether we’re consistent consumers of shoes we wear for performance or cosmetic reasons, ‘Satan’s little helpers’ sucking the corporate cock or the hood-rat types that boost Max 95’s to feed some rinky-dink pot habit.

I’m witnessing and hearing the same conversations amongst so-called ‘Sneaker Connoisseurs’, the same mentality is rife, the demographic logic is manifold. I’m seeing little personality and barely any individuality, unlike the aforementioned Aunts and Uncles. The reasons that people are actually buying into the whole sneaker mentality deeply troubles me and there don’t seem to be any reasons behind this social epidemic. What are the grounds on which people buy sneakers?

I’m puzzled by the success of the ‘Branded Athletic Footwear Industry’, the ‘Sneak Trade’ that was worth $1 Billion in 1980 and is currently worth 8 times that amount at the last count. I’m bewildered by the branding behemoths that lean on the weak with their ‘Creative Strategies’, their ‘Co-operative Advertising’ and ‘Market Segmentation’. Now so far, you’d have fair consideration to establish myself as someone that has suffered at the hand of some or many these people or organizations, on the other hand, maybe you are thinking I’m just a hater. I haven’t and no I’m not. And FYI I’m not an axe-wielding homicidal maniac either. Really, I work in the industry and have nothing but love for the game. The main crux of my vitriol is a dissatisfaction with the rationalization punters have with putting money in their pocket and spending gouda they have more than likely struggled hard for. Working nine to five ain’t no picnic. This leads me to a rather pertinent question, what sneakers if any have you got on those feet right now, and primarily, why?