As the counterfeit sneaker market continues to evolve with more accurate, "near-perfect" unauthorized releases, we're hearing more and more stories of knowledgeable sneakerheads getting burnt with fakes. Now, one collector is sharing his story and explaining why he's decided to avoid early pairs altogether.
Sitting down with the good folks at Sneaker Watch, Gates Marke shared some of his rare sneakers including "Red October" Air Yeezy IIs, "Quai 54" Jordan IVs, and "OVO" Jordan Xs. But it wasn't all about stunting, as Marke also shared some words of wisdom with his fellow 'heads.
After thirsting for a pair of "Doernbecher" Air Jordan IVs ahead of the official release, Marke was able to secure a pair from a close friend. He quickly realized that they weren't the real deal and managed to get his money refunded, but not before learning a valuable lesson.
"What I hear now is, 'Do not buy early, ever, because most likely they’re fake.' And so I stay away from early pairs, always, and just wait until release date now. I'd rather go through the connects I've been going through and get the real ones. I don't really care about flexing on Instagram," Marke said.
Let that sink in for awhile.
