Life Among The Sneaker Stalkers

At first, Nike pretty much owned what was basically a resale market of sneakers that for one reason or another had increased in value over the years. Mostly it was a variation on the brand’s beloved Air Jordan’s–a rare color, a reissue of a classic, or the classic itself pristine in its original box with receipt to prove its authenticity. Packed with mostly boys ranging in age from teens to their mid-20s, it was a hive of activity, an indoor marketplace with professional dealers who had set up tables as well as freelancers who arrived with duffel bags full of sneakers they were looking to trade or sell. With stacks of five or six pairs in their original boxes, they walked around among thousands of fellow sneakerheads in search of a Cinderfella with the right shoe size for the golden Jordan’s they were hawking. But Air Jordan’s comfortable dominance has been disrupted, thanks mostly to Kanye West’s Adidas-branded Yeezys, which have become the most coveted and collectible kicks among the sneakerheads. Pairs typically go for many times the original cost, into the thousands of dollars, making Adidas a relevant player in the sneaker market again. Read more at Paper.