Sneakerheads Subculture

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.

In this chapter of Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell, he talks about rumors, sneakers and the power of translation. Throughout the chapter he kept with the theme of change and the way that things can change over time. The concept of change and shoes throughout this chapter is evident. Gladwell writes, “They expanded their focus to include not just skateboarding but also surfing, snowboarding, mountain biking, and bicycle racing, sponsoring riders in all of those sports and making Arwalk synonymous with active, alternative lifestyle”( Gladwell 194). Many people ask why do they have to produce so much more to compliment everyone in every sport or just for everyday wear? Gladwell explains how companies expanded their mind to appeal to everyone's

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.

I chose to research and write about the Charlotte Hornets role, in selling licensed and unlicensed merchandise, which has made a foremost impact locally; with helping bring the original team name back to Charlotte: globally with how it has started a culture for retro gear. The Charlotte Hornets team left Charlotte in 2002 brought by Tom Benson of New Olean’s, but the team’s merchandise continued to sell over the years. Football Star’s like Cam Newton have been spotted Courtside wearing the retro product with Original Hornets signature. Not to mention, the greatest basketball player in the world (LeBron James) who plays for another defending rival, hosted a shoe launch with the Hornet's team colors; this confirms that the Hornet’s merchandise has some brand appeal. The Charlotte Hornets Merchandise has had such an impact locally, that it created a campaign; BRING BACK THE BUZZ.

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

It all started with a Jumpman and a swoosh, it was more than just a shoe it was the start of a culture. What most people look at as just a shoe to protect their feet has a story behind it and a deeper meaning to me and many others than “just a pair of shoes”. Don’t put on a pair of shoes unless you know how to wear them right. For every pair I own I could explain the troubles I went through and the people I met to get each sneaker. The best feeling was opening that fresh shoe box and taking out that paper wrapping. Putting on each new pair of sneakers is like taking a breath of fresh air each pair crisp as bacon. I am one among many sneakerheads, people who love to buy, sell, trade, and collect rare shoes. There is a culture, lifestyle, and history behind sneaker collecting. Most people would think dropping hundreds if not thousands on a pair of shoes is crazy but I believe sneakers are essential.

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”.

He began by discussing the incomprehensible recovery of then-terminally-uncool hush puppies shoes in the midst of a few of hipsters in Manhattan’s cutting-edge regions in the 1990s, a development which soon extended across the United States and resulted to exponential increases in the company’s sales. Using this sensation as an introduction to the book’s methodical theme, the author states that he will recognize, dissect and give details on the mechanisms by which certain trends occur, while others fail.

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

The primary target market of TOMS is males and females between the age of 19-24 that want to combine the creativity of being a trend-setter with the satisfaction of being socially responsible. This age range is a part of what is known as Generation Y, or the Millennials. Generation Y has brought a trend of social awareness and activity. From 2002 to 2005 the number of people volunteering went up 25%. This generation is all about giving back to the people, so Toms allows this group to give back by purchasing their shoes. TOMS has also done its homework on this group as well. Utilizing social media, TOMS reaches out to over 488,000 twitter followers, 280,000 Facebook fans, and several thousands of YouTube users. TOMS understands that generation Y prefers hands on involvement. In order to make that happen, TOMS fans are allowed to take part in a yearly One Day Without Shoes movement to understand what it is like to be shoe-less. In addition to the giving back and the social movements, TOMS shoes let young adults be expressive in their style. The plain shoe design makes way for creative minds to manipulate the shoe as anyone may please. TOMS is mainly focused in the U.S., but the shoes are available in over 30 countries globally

How they get these people to keep buying these shoes is ethos and pathos. What I mean by that is the company uses superstars athletes to lures these young audiences or sneakerhead to buy these shoes or celebrities would wear certain sneakers and people would want to have or look like them.

Subculture refers to a minority of individuals who adhere to different rules, dress codes and lifestyle choices from mainstream culture. Throughout this essay the traditional definitions of subcultures, that mainly concentrate on class and style as their main features, will be looked at and explained. It will then be demonstrated how these ways of thinking are no longer relevant to the 21st century therefore the term 'subculture ' needs to be rethought for it to be an applicable category in the 21st century.

During 1960’s and 1970’s, the skateboarders and surfers as the main customers base of VANS’ characteristics were determined by bottom-line possession, youthfulness and ability to customizing the sneakers. Moreover, many consumers of the VANS at that time were mostly rebellious, individualist, competitive and aggressive since surfing and skateboarding were perceived as disfavoring sports in the mainstream culture in earlier

As a movement encompassing various elements of surf, skate, and hip-hop culture, the true origins of what is considered the modern-day “streetwear craze” are questionable. Streetwear is as much a distinct fashion movement, as it is a lifestyle, a culture promoting a sense of individuality, freedom of expression, and an anti-authority outlook. However, a general consensus

The term “subculture” refers to a group of people who have similarities between them, and these similarities distinguish them significantly from other social groups. The similarities do not mean religious or political affiliation. These groups have different beliefs than the main culture and are youth oriented. These subcultures have their own styles of music, ideology,