Sneakerheads will make sacrifices for the love of a pair of kicks. Take a walk through a culture where what counts is on your feet.
Kimi Moana Whiting a self-proclaimed sneaker-novice. Photo: Sophie Fitzgerald
Three hundred dollars was a small price to pay for the 57 sneakerheads at the front of the line for the latest drop of Yeezy Boost 350 in New Zealand this week.
Only two stores stocked the infamous shoes, designed by Kanye West. It was the second release of the shoes this year and sales were over in 20 minutes.
Hundreds of people missed out, including more than 50 at Area 51 in Wellington. A security guard was on hand in case of trouble, but sales assistant Kariba McGinn says the crowd were “very orderly”.
“The kind of people who collect sneakers are kind of used to sneaker launches, like last time, they all had their laptops and were watching movies.”
Israel Elkington, 33, calls sneaker collecting a “lifestyle”, boasting a collection insured for $70,000, but suspects this would not cover it’s true worth.
Elkington has been collecting for over 15 years, and currently owns about 300 pairs of shoes.
An extra room at his flat provides storage for his extensive collection saying, it looks like something from the MTV ‘Cribs’ show.
“I live with two other guys that are quite into sneakers. One of them is probably looking at around 120 and the other about 90 pairs. So we’ve all got our sneakers in that one room.”
Elkington enjoys the nostalgia in recalling how he accumulated his sneakers and remembers saving up for some Adidas Superstars when he was quite young.
He struggled to find the sneaker and ended up calling Adidas New Zealand who somehow found the last pair in his size that were “left over from the 80s.”
“Pretty much every pair of shoes that I’ve got has some sort of story behind it, whether it was buying them, or a memory that’s attached to them.”
There’s a lot of people getting these Yeezy’s that don’t actually like them, they think they’re ugly but because it’s hyped, they’ll get it.
Part of being a sneakerhead often involves hours of scrolling, long queues or even camping out on the sidewalk.
Elkington’s vast collection includes the coveted Yeezy Boost, which he says were an “easy camp”.
“I got there at 7.30 in the morning on the Friday and they were getting released at midnight.”
Elkington recalls he had a friend wait in line for him, while he went to work at Good as Gold Wellington, but collected his size 10s at midnight.
Elkington admits to liking the Yeezy, but thinks they are “hyped-up”.
“People are coming down from Auckland to go wait in line for these shoes”.
Marketing Magazine says brand collaborations with artists such as Kanye West, create a unique sneaker that appeals to a sneakerhead’s desire for an original shoe. By releasing the sneakers in limited drops they will be perceived as rare and become even more in demand.
Elkington says the hype around such sneakers is necessary for sneaker culture’s survival. “Without that demand, the companies aren’t going to make dope shit, they’re not going to make cool shoes if there is no demand for it.”
“There’s a lot of people getting these Yeezy’s that don’t actually like them, they think they’re ugly but because it’s hyped, they’ll get it.”
Sneakerheads who only follow hyped-up trends such as the Yeezy’s, are often referred to as “hypebeasts”, and impress others with their on-trend kicks but tend to have no personal style.
“You can tell the difference between a hypebeast and a sneakerhead because a sneakerhead will have a sneaker, and they’ll be wearing it, whereas a hypebeast will be trying not to crease it,” says Elkington.
Having been in the sneaker game for a while, Elkington has noticed the prevalence of sneaker culture on the scene. Since moving down to Wellington 10 years ago to work at Footlocker he has definitely noticed the culture pick up.
Elkington thinks people want to look like they are living the lifestyle of a rapper or a basketball player because of how their collections are flaunted online, saying “of course people want to buy into that.”
Every pair of shoes he owns has some sort of story behind them, says Israel Elkington. Photo: Sophie Fitzgerald
Collecting sneakers can be an expensive hobby depending on the status of the desired shoe. An original sneaker such as the Air Jordan IV retro can retail for $15,000 US, according to a Complex Magazine article.
But that kind of outlay isn’t for the everyday sneakerhead. Elkington says it is about prioritising and there is sacrifice involved.
“I don’t drink. I don’t smoke. It’s just excess income that I have like it’s spendable money that I have.
“I might buy a pair of sneakers every week or every fortnight and that does add up. But because it is a material thing you can see it.”
James Campos, 19, agrees saying “people spend $2000 on drugs, so why not look fly?”
Campos has a collection of 25 pairs of shoes and he rarely wears the same pair two days in a row. He acknowledges the excess in sneaker culture but justifies his collection because it’s something he likes doing.
Campos prefers to sacrifice going out partying in order to sustain his collection.
“People spend crazy money on alcohol, crazy money on drugs. It’s like a balance I guess. If you save some money here then you can spend it on other stuff.”
He prefers original sneakers to the Yeezy Boosts - “just because it’s got somebody’s name on it, who gives a fuck”.
“I don’t like camp out and shit. I’m not like a mad, crazy sneakerhead that camps out for shoes and spends $300 on them.
Campos prefers brands such as Asics over a hyped up sneaker, which up until recently were not considered street shoes. He says, “you need to be doing some crazy shit to be original”.
People spend crazy money on alcohol, crazy money on drugs. It’s like a balance I guess. If you save some money here then you can spend it on other stuff.
“I still have Nike shoes. Yeah, they make some dope shoes. But they’re the ultimate consumerist, f**king ‘look at me I’m cool because I’m wearing a pair of Nikes’. No you’re not, everyone has Nikes.
“It’s pretty much just about being; I don’t give a f**k how much it costs or who likes them or whatever. I just want shoes no one else has.”
Campos plans on being a sneakerhead for life saying, “I’ll always be one of those dads that their sons are proud of because they look fly as hell and they’re 50.”
Kimi Moana Whiting, 18, a self-proclaimed sneaker-novice, has a collection of 15 pairs estimated to have cost around $3000. Her collection started from wanting to be known as the girl with “cool shoes”.
Whiting is a fan of the Yeezy’s and says “Kanye is God”. She feels $300 is a fair price for a collaboration shoe and regrets missing out on their recent drop.
As the only member of her friend group that is a sneakerhead, Whiting is confronted with the fact that there are fewer female collectors.“As independent woman, we can be fly - or just not give a shit and get in it.”
Females have typically been excluded from sneaker culture due to sizing predominantly catering to males, however grade school sizing has allowed for females to be included more.
Whiting says if you’re a sneakerhead, you will find the community just by talking about your shoes.
“They’ll know you’re a sneakerhead once you talk about it and get into it. Like you can’t be a sneakerhead without the knowledge.”
Whiting acknowledges the constant struggle of remaining original and offers advice to anyone keen on joining sneaker culture.
“It’s not exclusive, it’s just people willing to take the time to connect with their feet.
“Stop looking at what everyone else is wearing. Like for me how it started I think you’ve just got to pick a shoe, pick a brand, and then just sort of go from there,” she says.
“The shoe’s got to call out to you. Even though it is maybe a real original shoe, you might not want it. It goes with people's personalities and stuff. Different shoes for different people.”