In 1984, former American basketball player Michael Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls at the inaugural National Basketball Association season. By the end of the season, Jordan had become a fan favourite but his impact was not just limited to the court. Here, the then-21-year-old player was seen wearing the Nike Air Jordan I ‘Chicago’—a pair of kicks that is believed to have played an important role in the advent of sneaker culture globally. In October, leading athletic apparel company Nike is all set to release a ‘reimagined’ version of the same shoes. Understandably, every sneaker enthusiast (sneakerhead, as they’re called) has their eyes on them. Ghaziabad-based software engineer Atul Sharma is one among the scores of people who are looking forward to getting their hands on this fresh pair of Jordans.
According to Statista, the sneaker market is on a rise globally—the market is expected to grow annually by 11.58 per cent. Effectuating the upsurge of demand for sneakers are several enthusiasts, similar to Sharma, who buy and collect sneakers.
When passion turns into addiction
The sneaker that helped build Gurugram-based real estate businessman Aditya Khanna’s current collection of more than 150 pieces was the Air Jordan 1 ‘Shadow’—he bought this pair in London while pursuing his graduation in 2003. “My friend and I just got interested in buying jackets and then somehow sneakers. So, I have had this passion since then… it is more like an addiction now (laughs),” says the 39 year old. Sharma (41), too, was swayed by the culture when he witnessed it firsthand in the US. “I was always into fashion and shoes. When I moved to the US for work, I saw people wearing those sneakers I used to dream about. This is when I developed an urge to own them,” says the collector whose growing collection currently has over 150 sneakers.
It is the uniqueness of the design that got Gurugram-based entrepreneur Joel Paes glued to hoarding more pairs of sneakers. “I have always liked sneakers that are well designed—in terms of materials, colours, or detailing,” says the 36 year old who tries to procure rare and limited edition pieces that are “heavy on design”. On the other hand, Sharma is more intrigued by the story behind the pair. “Usually every pair of sneakers has some story behind it—who wore it, when it was worn—something that makes it special. I look for that.”
Like collectors of any other commodity, sneakerheads too scour for vintage, rare, and limited edition drops. Case in point is Khanna’s collection that comprises the Dior x Air Jordan 1 Low—this marked the first collaboration between luxury brand Dior and sneaker giant Nike—he paid $7,200 for a pair (only 4,700 of these were made available to the public).
Needless to say, rare and limited edition sneakers are also extremely expensive. Over the years, Sharma—who admits having gone overboard while allocating budgets for sneakers earlier—has become mindful of his purchases. Paes—his sneaker collection has come down from about 50 pairs to 15—concludes, “The obsession to get the newest find is there, but one needs to be mindful of how much they are spending.”
Sneakers are a part of my identity. If I am not wearing sneakers, people are like ‘Why aren’t you wearing sneakers’. I really like the Air Jordan 1. It is a leather pair and it will last forever as it does not have any air unit. The more you wear it, the better it looks.
-Atul sharma
I have about 150 sneakers. I can’t name one as a favourite. I like the Jordan 1 Retro High Off-White Chicago and the Travis Scott Lows. But my favourite are the Golden Goose sneakers. They are the most comfortable and they go with everything.
-Aditya Khanna
I am more inclined towards quality over quantity now. My favourite from the collection would be the Balenciaga sock runners [speed trainers]. They are really comfortable, they go with everything. I have two pairs in black.
-Joel paes