Written by Jenna | 8 January
When it comes to the many passions of collecting, sneakers are relatively new. The culture is part of a fast-growing industry serving a wide community of sneakerheads as its customer base. With a multipronged history and rich cultural roots, the drive to build a sneaker collection stems from something deeper than athletics or a love of fashionable footwear.
We sat down with Catawiki Sneaker Expert, Mirco Castagnoli to get his take on what it means to be a sneakerhead and how to get your own collection started.
How to start your sneaker collection
1. Find your passion
This is an easy first step as people tend to have lots of passions and curiosities. Surely, one of them has led you down the path to discover your love of athletic footwear. It could be fashion, sports or even music.
Perhaps you’re into basketball. You played at your local sports club and as far as you’re concerned, the 1992 NBA MVP Michael Jordan will always be the GOAT.
Maybe you grew up listening to hip hop - still do, and were obsessed with the looks, the style, the swag. You faintly recall Run DMC going on about their adidas. Or you're simply a fan of the creative genius behind Off White.
It could be that you love shoes and decided to grab a pair of the latest Dunks, just for the fun of it.Whatever passion led you to a deeper appreciation for sneakers, now is the time to embrace it.
2. Learn the culture
Now that you’ve found your connection to sneakers, it’s time to go deeper.
The passion that led you here is part of a lasting culture stewarded by the community who created it. Try to understand how sneakers tie into that culture and why they have such a strong influence. “You want to understand the profound connection,” says Mirco, “feel the pulse of sneaker culture, and unravel the reasons why these iconic shoes have an enduring influence – it's not just fashion; it's a testament to a shared legacy.”
Take, for instance, professional basketball. “Typically, the best players have their own shoe line,” Mirco explains. “In most cases the hype behind their collections comes from their lifestyle or from the skills and attitude on court. Kobe Bryant is a clear example of this.” Clearly the zeal is about more than just the sport itself. It’s about the players and the fans that love them. The shoes they wear are an expression of that love.
By far, the biggest influence on sneaker culture today is hip hop. As a legacy of Black American culture, the genre was created in the 1980’s by young Black and Brown New Yorkers. The city served as a backdrop to the sound and of hip hop and was reflected in the style. Sneakers were a big part of that. These days, every other rapper, from Big Sean to Cardi B, has a collaboration shoe. Sneakers are a staple, a flex, a part of the uniform.
Your passion could be a less obvious one. For Mirco, it was skateboarding that led to his love of sneakers. “This was all due to the fact that a skate shoe needs to be durable and comfortable,” he reminisces, “but at the same time stylish with an eye-catching impact.”
Whatever your passion, it’s important to learn the culture, learn the story and from there, you’ll understand the shoe.
3. Start with the essentials
According to Mirco, there are four essential pairs of sneakers that every bonafide sneakerhead should have in their closet:
- Jordan 1 Mid Chicago Black Red
- SB Dunk Low or High
- Air Jordan 4 or 11
- Nike Off-White
- A niche collab, e.g. Aimé Leon Dore
If you’re feeling ambitious, Mirco suggests a collab shoe. This could be with luminaries such as Travis Scott and Drake, or a niche brand such as JJJJound or Aimé Leon Dore.
Before we ended our talk, Mirco wanted to make one thing clear: monetary value is not what makes a shoe special. Not many people collect sneakers as an investment. “The real collector,” he says “builds their collection from a place of passion.”
____________
Curious about what we’ve got in auction? Start exploring or register as a seller.
You might also like these articles:
These pop culture collectables are on everybody’s list
How the Game Boy revolutionised video games
Scandal and style: the rise and revolution of Gucci