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- Aug 3, 2017
i would not want to think the sneaker scene begins and ends in the US; adidas trainers already had a following in Europe and elsewhere prior to the booming of the culture that ushered in the sneaker craze. but the globalization and popularization of the trend more or less can be traced back to the US, with brands like Nike and figures like Michael Jordan furthering the interest for what was then a fledgling hobby and subculture.
the sneaker game was birthed by the cultural upheaval that came in roaring as the 70s rolled in.
self-expression. self-determination. self-actualization became the sounds of the streets as urbanites fought to make their mark on a largely neglectful society. graffiti flourished. art flourished.
and so did fashion trends.
fat laces on icy-white low tops. brightly-colored track pants.
all underscored by the rhythms, grooves, and moods of hip-hop.
b-boying. DJ-ing. tagging. hip hop. sneakers.
from city thing to having a cult following, from small scale backroom operations to a multi-billion-dollar industry, sneakers have come a long way.
but with the furthering of the culture came a hefty price.
there was a substance to acquiring sneakers back in the day.
he dropped 50 on those and you gotta have 'em.
he rocked 'em on the video shoot so you gotta have 'em.
you've been scouting them from across the street for months and now you can cop 'em.
there was always a story. a hunt. something that made it more than just another purchase.
sneakers, nowadays, are starting to become an accessory to an increasingly dominating streetwear scene; if it looks good for the 'fit, it's worth copping.
but you see ten guys in a row at a queue looking like the same damn person in ten different bodies - tonal kicks, and a rehashing of the late-80s, mid-90s look. Think Fresh Prince (sort of).
now, i'm all for rocking what you like. live and let live, right?
but perhaps what irks me the most is how these younger cats have come up on the game with the swagger that makes them think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread.
and i don't even eat bread that much.
the "best" sneaker pictures flooding the Web almost always include:
Yeezies
Yeezies
maybe a Supreme collab here and there
and some more Yeezies.
back then, being 'it' - as opposed to being "lit" - meant having something, not just fresh, but something different, something worth taking about, something worth collecting, something you won't always see.
from the wildest colorway to the absurdest of adventures to acquire 'em, the best kicks always weren't just a pair of kicks.
everything is on the Internet these days.
it shouldn't be hard to google these things.
would i say the sneaker game is dying? i wouldn't think so. and financially, i think it's only getting more lucrative.
but the gentrification of an element of a culture that championed self-expression could only ever mean the fading into obscurity of the very things that made sneakers a big thing to begin with.
soon, cats are just gonna be getting the next hottest tonal pair of kicks.
or whatever kanye has on.
or whatever is a Fragment, Just Don, or Supreme collab.
and it's just gonna be another trend to make a buck on -
far removed from its humble beginnings on busy streets,
and into the welcoming arms of trend-riding and capitalism.
it really isn't just about sneakers.
because it was never just about the sneakers.
the sneaker game was birthed by the cultural upheaval that came in roaring as the 70s rolled in.
self-expression. self-determination. self-actualization became the sounds of the streets as urbanites fought to make their mark on a largely neglectful society. graffiti flourished. art flourished.
and so did fashion trends.
fat laces on icy-white low tops. brightly-colored track pants.
all underscored by the rhythms, grooves, and moods of hip-hop.
b-boying. DJ-ing. tagging. hip hop. sneakers.
from city thing to having a cult following, from small scale backroom operations to a multi-billion-dollar industry, sneakers have come a long way.
but with the furthering of the culture came a hefty price.
there was a substance to acquiring sneakers back in the day.
he dropped 50 on those and you gotta have 'em.
he rocked 'em on the video shoot so you gotta have 'em.
you've been scouting them from across the street for months and now you can cop 'em.
there was always a story. a hunt. something that made it more than just another purchase.
sneakers, nowadays, are starting to become an accessory to an increasingly dominating streetwear scene; if it looks good for the 'fit, it's worth copping.
but you see ten guys in a row at a queue looking like the same damn person in ten different bodies - tonal kicks, and a rehashing of the late-80s, mid-90s look. Think Fresh Prince (sort of).
now, i'm all for rocking what you like. live and let live, right?
but perhaps what irks me the most is how these younger cats have come up on the game with the swagger that makes them think they're the greatest thing since sliced bread.
and i don't even eat bread that much.
the "best" sneaker pictures flooding the Web almost always include:
Yeezies
Yeezies
maybe a Supreme collab here and there
and some more Yeezies.
back then, being 'it' - as opposed to being "lit" - meant having something, not just fresh, but something different, something worth taking about, something worth collecting, something you won't always see.
from the wildest colorway to the absurdest of adventures to acquire 'em, the best kicks always weren't just a pair of kicks.
everything is on the Internet these days.
it shouldn't be hard to google these things.
would i say the sneaker game is dying? i wouldn't think so. and financially, i think it's only getting more lucrative.
but the gentrification of an element of a culture that championed self-expression could only ever mean the fading into obscurity of the very things that made sneakers a big thing to begin with.
soon, cats are just gonna be getting the next hottest tonal pair of kicks.
or whatever kanye has on.
or whatever is a Fragment, Just Don, or Supreme collab.
and it's just gonna be another trend to make a buck on -
far removed from its humble beginnings on busy streets,
and into the welcoming arms of trend-riding and capitalism.
it really isn't just about sneakers.
because it was never just about the sneakers.
