Liat Nosrati
Sneakers have become collectables, and the people who have them in every color and style refer to themselves as “sneakerheads.”
Nike Jordans, Air Force Ones and Dunks. You name it, a true sneakerhead has it – and they also have a shirt to match.
Collecting sneakers is not a cheap hobby, but it sure is a stylish one.
Biko Poindexter-Hodge, a 20-year-old English major, explained that having numerous amounts of sneakers can get a little out of hand.
“I think it is a little absurd to buy too many, because you only have two feet,” he said.
This is no matter to a sneakerhead such as 18-year-old art major Latin Bentley, who wears a different pair of sneakers every day.
The $180 Air Jordan XX3s have only been on the market for less than three months, but Bentley already has them in every color.
A boutique in Atlanta, Ga., called “Laced Up,” makes diamond-encrusted Nike Air Force Ones that run for $50,000.
Sneakers are not just for playing basketball anymore.
People might dress up sneakers and wear them to fancy events.
The Orange County-based sneaker company Creative Recreation kept that theory in mind when designing their line.
Also known as Creative Recs, these sneakers offer a sophisticated element to the sneaker world.
They are not meant to be worn for playing sports, but people will often wear them to parties. On average, Creative Recs run about $100.
Tiara “Lucky” Richardson, 19, a basketball player, considers herself a sneakerhead because she has more than 40 pairs. She spends an average of $80 per sneaker.
“The most I’ve ever spent was $198 on a pair of Jordans,” she said.
Sneaker collectors find that the most efficient way to buy sneakers is online.
Eastbay.com is a Web site that caters to sneakerheads’ needs. Aaron Collins, a 20-year-old student, purchases some of his shoes from Eastbay.
“I ordered my shoes from Eastbay and I spent about $900 trying to get like 10 pairs of shoes,” Collins admitted.
There is an art to collecting sneakers. Most sneaker collectors don’t just throw their shoes in the closet at the end of the day, opting instead to keep them in shoeboxes to prevent scratching and wear-down.
Sneakerheads will sometimes buy two pairs: one to wear and one to keep as a collectable.
“If I’m spending $100 on sneakers, then I want to make sure they stay clean and in good condition,” said Annie Kazandjian, a 23-year-old sociology major. “I put them back in the shoebox once I’m done wearing them, so they don’t get ruined.”
It’s not easy being a sneaker collector; they have to keep up with all the latest trends while spending big bucks on something worn on their feet.
But it’s all about being noticed – and possessing the rarest sneakers on the market, they’re sure to be noticed.