Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years then you’ll know that a sneakerhead is not someone with an awkwardly shaped skull but is a highly dedicated collector of sneakers. (Or trainers, as we traditionally refer to them here in Blighty.)
Collecting trainers has slowly progressed over the years from a relatively niche hobby to something rather prestigious. A mark of just how far it’s come is that the world-renowned auction house Sotheby’s, typically associated with flogging paintings, fine wine, Ming vases and priceless Fabergé eggs, now deals in trainers. If you think I’m pulling your leg then peruse their site and you’ll find a pair of Nike Air Force 1’s (Love Promo – Pro Bowl 2007) for $3000 and a pair of Nike ‘Pre’ Montreal Track Spikes for $8000. Rival auction house Christie’s is in on the action too. They had an Air Jordan sale in June in which one pair from back in 1984 – Air Jordan 1, High, “Black/Red,” Salesman Sample & Briefcase – realised a whopping $27,500.
If you ever happen to possess the cash to splash on such pricey auction lots then I strongly advise you not to wear them to the gym or to sticky-floored nightclubs. But I don’t think anyone needs this advice, do they? Everyone understands that collecting trainers isn’t about buying shoes for going out but for staying in – preferably in their original boxes, tucked away in a cupboard and only to be exposed to the air for occasional admiration, usually when a camera crew comes to visit your crib.
Menswear Style readers had a slight head start on all this as we first looked at the world of sneakerheads back in 2017 – Peter Brooker had sneaker aficionado Kish Kash on the podcast to talk about his collection of several thousand pairs! There’s no contesting the popularity of this scene now; but, personally, I must admit that I think the whole thing is all quite ludicrous....
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