Sneaker culture social networks are the digital hangouts for collectors who treat footwear like gold. If you have 200 pairs of shoes, you are barely average. These websites exist so sneakerheads can compare collections, post photos of customized kicks, and track the newest releases from the brands everyone is watching.
It started with hip-hop. Run-DMC rapped “My Adidas” in 1986. The year before that, Nike dropped the first Air Jordans. That move linked the world’s best athlete to what became the most coveted shoe on earth. An original $65 pair of Air Jordans sold on eBay recently for over $2,000.
Athletic shoes stopped being just practical accessories in the 1980s. They became fashion statements. They became political statements.
Look at Run-DMC’s laceless white Adidas. They looked cool. They were also a nod to prison culture. Laces were often confiscated in prison. Wearing them without laces was a statement.
Sneakerplay is the largest and most active sneaker culture social network online. Members create profile pages similar to MySpace. They embed MP3 music files. They write blogs. They post plenty of pictures of their sneaker collections. The site even has a section for sneaker battles. Visitors vote between two pairs of prized footwear.
The obsession is driven by limited-edition releases. Rare retro shoes fuel the fire. Nike keeps the craziness alive with drops that are extremely limited. Sometimes those shoes are only sold in one store. Maybe for one day. And then it is over.
Nike manufactured just 140 pairs of its Cowboy Air Max 180s. They sold them at a single store in Miami. People camped out for days to get their hands on these rarities.
Some collectors keep the shoes. Others turn around and sell them online for huge profits.
The next page talks about social networking groups for fashionistas.
