Nineteen Fifty-Six Best of 2020-2021 Melanin Magic

KS
TA’KYLA BATES
THE ART OF
KICKS
KS
KICKS
J
ordan, Nike, Adidas, Yeezy are
all big shoe brands society is
obsessed with. You would be
considered very lucky if you own a
pair of OG Jordan 1s High. But why
is society so fascinated by sneakers?
Sneakers are a status symbol for
most people according to “The Rise
of Sneakerhead Culture” by Michael
Lishnevsky. Sneakers are very
popular among Millenials and Gen
Z culture. Usually, if you have
some rare sneakers you might
be considered a Sneakerhead.
Sneakerheads are people who
collect shoes, sometimes
sell them and have almost
an obsession with sneakers.
Before we dive into the culture
of kicks, we have to learn about the
history of sneaker culture.
Sneaker culture began to surface
in the 1970s when people wanted
a demand for athletic shoes. The
80s was a major turnaround for
the sneaker game because of one
man, a basketball legend, Michael
Jordan. In 1984, Nike was struggling
to sell shoes. Nike had the timeless
Air Force 1, however the basketball
scene was still stuck on Converse.
Michael Jordan just began his
NBA career in ‘84 and had
a decision to make. Michael
Jordan wanted Adidas but Nike
wanted Michael Jordan. As history
would have it, we know how that
story ends. The Air Jordan 1 was
the game-changer in basketball and
street fashion. In 1985, a year after
the debut, the Jordan 1 would retail
at $64.99. Now in 2020, the retail
price is $160.
Sneakerheads can be a business’
dream or worst nightmare. A
nightmare because resellers buy
shoes in bulk at retail price and sell
them for hundreds or thousands of
dollars. The same sneaker that was
sold for $65 in 1985 is now being sold
on resell websites like GOAT.com
and StockX.com for 10 times that
price.
According to Leigh Steinberg
of Forbes, the sneaker market is
expected to be worth about “$95.14
billion by 2025.” Resell websites are
a major contributor to the sneaker
market. Popular culture is another
large influence. In 2015, Rapper
Eminem did a collaboration with
Jordan to make his own shoe. There
were only ten of these shoes made in
the world. The Eminem X Carhartt X
Jordan 4 is listed as high as $45,000.
It is unbelievable that people would
pay so much money for a pair of
shoes. Yet, that is just how the shoe
game works. Many athletes, rappers
and celebrities have collaborated
with sneaker brands such as Travis
Scott, Pharrell, Cardi B and Tyler
the Creator.
17 NINETEEN FIFTY-SIX MAGAZINE