Sneaker culture, it’s a phrase we all throw around a lot, but what does it actually mean?

“The ideas, customs and social behaviours of a particular people or society”

‘Sneaker Culture’ at it’s core it’s about people; everyone has an opinion, a belief and a chance. The industry is ever changing and constantly evolving, this is more obvious than ever in the current climate which is evident with the rise of brands like New Balance and Crocs in a subculture and community they’ve previously been overlooked by.

For new brands to take the spotlight the old guard has to fall. Adidas was on top of the world in the mid to late 2010’s from boost technology to collaborations with some of pop culture’s most recognisable names; Pharell Williams, Kanye West and Nigo to name a few.

Adidas was eventually usurped by the likes of Nike and Virgil Abloh with their collection “The Ten”, arguably being the catalyst behind the movement and very much a factor in the swoosh’s popularity to this day. But Nikes vice on the industry is starting to strain, with dunks and 1’s no longer an instant sell-out we may finally be seeing a change.

Now this is not to say that Nike or Adidas have “fallen off” but to say the tastes and trends in and around the culture have changed.

With that there will always be people who stick with their favourite brands or specific models through these times, due to this, such iconic brands like Nike and Adidas will never truly die. However the rise of new balance as a major player in the “hype” shoe game is something that could not have been predicted 2-3 years ago.

New balance has learnt from the formula displayed by Nike and Adidas, using the likes of high profile collaborations to boost their mass appeal. With the ever rising cost of shoes, Nike, being the most notable in recent time. The once incomparable pricing of high end new balance models, quality for the price point combined with the fresh and interesting takes from the likes of Salehe Bembury are a far better proposition for potential buyers.

The higher retail prices and economic state of the wider world's impact are demonstrated where shoes that would instantly have sold out previously are now sitting on shelves or bricking as most would say. Although this in part is to the oversaturation of popular silhouettes like the Dunk and Jordan 1 models, the migration to alternative brands is clear.

To me we are in a transition period in the industry, which many including myself have never seen before. With hyped releases sitting, iconic colourways bricking and quality control at an all time low, the future is uncertain. The shoes many consider grails today were on outlet racks 15 years ago, thankfully we may finally see the return of people buying what they like, when they like, of course, there will always be some level of hype or trend to follow it’s simply human nature.

But finally, it seems that hype culture is coming to an end.

The State of Sneaker Culture and the Industry…

Upcoming: Kith BMW Part II