I Believe in Sneakers

Have you ever seen someone wearing a very rare pair of shoes that you have never seen before? Have you ever wondered how they got these shoes and how much they cost? Believe it or not Nike’s Air Jordan line of shoes has been at the forefront of a decade-long sneaker craze, which has grown so much it has become its own stock market. Jordan’s have been popular for many years and it is shown throughout pop culture, the increase in price and demand, the resale market that has skyrocketed in the last five years, and the history behind the shoe that made them so popular. Jordan’s are very well advertised through several popular outlets.

Michael Jordan’s, Nike, Adidas and Puma their shoe sales went up in the 1980’s. Amber J. Keyset started to design different shoes starting with Michael Jordans. When one pair was released more people grew into them either for the style or the history behind the pair. “Sneakerhead;a person who collects trade and/or admires sneakers as a form of a hobby, knowledgeability on sneakers”(Powell). Sneakerhead culture impacted the society with its new look and style by making them more desirable and increasing the shoe industry.

When you hear the word sneakers, what do you think of? For me sneakers was a word that inspired me to be great. When i think of sneakers i think of people of a high caliber. For example, i think of Raf Simmons, Lebron James, Michael Jordan, kanye, and so many more. Fortunately, there's not only one way to view sneakers. Some people may see shoes as just a shoe, but others may see it as a culture and/or a way of life. At a young age i fell in love with sneakers. At the age of 12 i probably owned over 20 pairs of sneakers. I did this because i saw sneakers in a way that others didn't. For example, Jordan sneakers aren't just Jordan sneakers to me. This is because the men in my life have made very terrible decisions. For example, there was a point

Now Michael Jordan has a very well known basketballs that have now also started producing shoes that are used for basketball. His competitors are LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Since his competitors have become know for their shoes Michael Jordan and the Nike Company have found ways to still provide a great quality shoe but at a lower price so that consumers will still be happy with their product plus they can afford them

The year an NBA legend started his professional career, Michael Jordan. He established himself as a very dominant player averaging 28.2 points per game in his rookie year. Soon after that he won the rookie of the year award topping off his first season in the NBA. Outside of the court, Jordan signed off a major deal with Nike shoes called Air Jordans. Which influenced the fashion industry forever. Every company wanted to associate themselves with the next big star. Throughout the decade every company from Adidas to Reebok was throwing their names out there to get into the act this started the so-called “sneaker wars”.

I think that that will solve a lot of the problems.” TJ Jacobs, a self-proclaimed Sneakerhead and shoe store employee, offers an explanation to the reason why Michael Jordan releases a limited amount of shoes. “It wouldn’t be an exclusive shoe or as popular if everyone could get it. The shoe wouldn’t have the same value.” Jacob says he not only camps out for shoes for himself, but he buys pairs that he can sell to people who couldn’t get a pair. He says that he once bought a pair of Jordan Galaxy Rookies for $400 and sold them for $600. There is a lot of money and time invested in the marketing and selling of Jordan sneakers, and the brand continues to

Their people who try to get the rarest shoes to add to their collection. Guthrie, a baseball player told interviewers about his vast collection held in his Utah home, he’s grown roughly 500 pairs(Skretta). Shoes are what dominate this subculture with the main distributors being Nike and Jordans. To many sneakerheads its harmless fun and to others its a business(Rahman). This group falls in love with their shoes caring for it as if it were a baby. Others see it as an opportunity to make a quick buck with an underground economy of shoes. However, is their another reason why these shoes are desirable? By many creative minds the shoes express their emotions and from a former sneakerhead “it’s like collecting fine art,” proclaimed by by keeney(Skretta). When someone has an emotional attachment to an object its hard to separate them. That is one of the reasons why sneakerheads have an obsession. Sneakerheads don’t only think about themselves. The culture helps out the economy as one sneakerhead will buy one to five pairs of shoes a month. When it comes to getting what you want money would be something you care less about if you have it. The community also sparked many conventions where people trade shoes and buy or sell them while also bringing everyone together to have interactions creating a great

Having a variety to choose from led to the shoes becoming less than just a sneaker and more of a collectors item. The Jordan sneakers becoming collector items increased the demand of shoes in the market which led to the expansion of the design process to meet the needs of the consumers. As designs expanded, each shoe became more and more unique which allowed for the sneakers to remain in style even till this day. Though there were many brands that came into competition, Michael Jordan’s popularity and the sneakers uniqueness kept the brand at the

Not only are sneakers a part of my identity, they are a part of my self-expression as well. Listed in my top 5 favorites is my Air Jordan 7 Retro “Bordeaux”. The color scheme of burgundy and dark yellow mixed with black and grey is such an eye-catcher, just like my 5’10” height, brown skin complexion, and sensible fashion. The shoe brings out confidence, and as a result, I feel in control and unstoppable whenever I put them on. It goes deeper than just buying another pair of sneakers to me, they’re a declaration of my personality and

If it wasn't for Tinker The shoes wouldn't be that nice today. Many of Jordan shoes was designed by Tinker and when he sign a jordan shoe the shoes can cost up to thousands of dollars. (www.ebay.com) It might be crazy shoes are shoes but when ever you buy a shoe you wanted so bad there's a story to it. Anybody who collects shoes has a story about the shoe. Theres many celebs who buy shoes and just collect it or wear it even Nick Young got a house for his shoes.

Growing up it was the cool thing you bring to school and show off to your friends and the cool kids had cool shoes. Not only that, what made you popular was not only the fact that you can afford expensive shoes and wear them with no fear of ruining them or getting them stolen, it was the reputation and the value of the brand. The cool kids usually were the most athletic and popular and that’s what the shoe represented. It was a shared hobby with my older brother and my dad. They’d buy me the shoe and we’d all get it if not the same colorway then another shoe that’s similar. Like I said it’s was a part of the culture I grew up in. You even see celebrities rocking Jordans here and there and that’s what makes it a global icon of a shoe because of how many people appreciate and wear the shoe. But behind that there’s this social aspect that no one talks about. Mill’s article “The Sociological Imagination” observes specific problems of the classic social analysts… asking “Where does this society stand in human history?” (Mills 3). This specific society of people that were the first consumers of jordan shoes were fans and today its more of the lower class colored society. People on food stamps, who can barely afford the things they need, go out and buy this shoe just for chance to show it off. There are stats that Jordan’s marketing this shoe to the

It is the sporting needs that have increased in quantity which are getting used in different situations in the US for playing sports and with masses preferring this shoe, it is the main reason for its use. People have changed their brand from Nike, Reebok to Converse as an answer to all their problems. Converse has evolved in to a new market since

Jordan retro shoes are always in high demand. This is due, not only to their fashionable style, but also because of their quality. These shoes are designed to last. They can stand up to the rigors of playing basketball, hitting the gym, or just hanging out with friends. These shoes are made in both high top basketball styles, and low tops.

To begin, celebrities like Michael Jordan, advertise certain shoe brands. Everyone has a celebrity idol that they look up too, so when a fan sees their idol advertising a product, they are really going to want to buy it. According to source two, “The hip-hop movement helped make sneakers fashionable, and famous athletes like NBA basketball player Michael Jordan turned certain brands into status symbols.” Brands that were once nothing, get turned into into

Often the last piece of an ensemble or the final detail to be added to an outfit. Shoes are a wardrobe staple that has come a long way. Yet, no shoe has transformed from a measure of class and wealth to a serious fashion statement as the high-heel has.