With the 2021-22 financial year having just come to a close, the data is in, and it was a massive one for the world of sneakers. The last financial year saw many things: Dunks make a colossal comeback, a New Balance renaissance, continued Yeezy dominance and a multitude of coveted Jordan 4 releases, some of which have since almost doubled in price.
The above observations are, however, just that—observations. But what did the data have to say? Our favourite, Australian-owned sneaker consignment store, PUSHAS, gave us some stats on the sneakers Australians loved the most. Here’s the juicy breakdown.
The top five most popular sneakers in Australia
Before we get into the nitty-gritty, let’s start off by breaking down the most popular silhouettes and colourways for each state — kicking off with the five most popular sneakers in Australia, per PUSHAS’ data.
It’s perhaps not exactly unsurprising that the Dunk Low ‘White Black/Panda’ topped the list as the most purchased sneaker, with the Dunk Low ‘Georgetown’ snagging second place. Nike continued to prevail for the rest of the list, with hailed Air Jordans taking third, fourth and fifth place. They may not have come out on top, but I’d still consider it a Jordan year.
Hottest sneakers by state
Getting into the nitty-gritty, here were the hottest sneakers by state.
New South Wales and Victoria:
For NSW, the Air Jordan 1 Mid ‘Wolf Grey’ came out on top as the state’s most purchased sneaker, and for VIC it was the Dunk Low ‘Georgetown’ that people most keenly copped.
South Australia and Western Australia:
Dunks continued to reign supreme in both SA and WA, with the Dunk Low ‘Georgetown’ coming out on top for SA, and the Dunk Low ‘White Black/Panda’ taking the cake in WA.
Tasmania and Queensland:
Tasmania presented an interesting result, with the Dunk Low ‘Championship Red’ taking the top spot. For QLD, once again, it was the Dunk Low ‘White Black/Panda’ that took first place.
Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory:
What did our territories have to say? For the ACT, the Dunk High ‘Aluminium’ grabbed first place, and for the NT, it was the Air Jordan 1 Low ‘Bronze Eclipse’.
The most expensive sneakers by state
So, what about the most expensive sneakers bought by people from each state? The answers are varied, with some notable trends: Travis Scott and Off-White collabs made up a hefty proportion of the most expensive sales.
It was Victorians who balled out the most on a single pair of sneakers, with an Air Jordan 1 x Travis Scott ‘Mocha’ pair selling for $3500. Coming in at second place was WA, where the highest single purchase was an Air Jordan 1 Low Fragment x Travis Scott pair, that went for $2700.
Off-White Nike collabs managed to grab the third and fourth spots, with an Air Force 1 x Off-White ‘Black Cone’ pair selling for $2000 in NSW, and a Dunk Low x Off-White ‘Pine Green’ pair selling for $1950.
Taking seventh place was the NT, where an Air Jordan ‘Metallic Red’ pair sold for $1030. In final place was Tassie, where a Yeezy Boost 350 V2 ‘Cloud White Non-Reflective’ pair went for $790.
Top influencer sneaker picks
PUSHAS consulted a few influencers for their top sneaker picks from the last financial year. Here’s what they had to say.
For Drex Lee (@drexlee), it’s Adidas’ famed NMDs, and the Yeezy Boost 350 ‘Oreo’.
For TikTok star Shak TV (@shak.tv), Adidas takes the cake, with his favourite sneaker of the last year being the Adidas ZX Flux. Below, he quizzes people on the street about the most sold sneaker of 2021. Care to guess?
For Instagram’s Bethany April (@bethanylilyapril), her favourites were the Air Force 1 Shadow ‘Princess Charming’, and the Dunk Low ‘Syracuse’ — extremely solid choices.
FY22-23 predictions from the PUSHAS team
So, to finish off, what do our authorities over at PUSHAS have to say about the next financial year’s sneaker-related predictions? PUSHAS’ Inbound Specialist, Jerroa Rovedi, and Head of Growth, Tanya Ma, weigh in.
The silhouette to look out for: Jerroa thinks it might just be the Air Jordan 1 Low OG. He says that while there hasn’t been many colourways released this year, Nike finished off June with two fresh colourways: “I’d say it’s the first time in a very long time that the original shape has been released in more than one colour in a single release.”
The brand to look out for: Adidas is at the top of the list for Jerroa. “I reckon Adidas might start drawing some attention from late 2022 into 2023. With basketball popping off and [Jerry Lorenzo’s] ‘Fear of God Essentials’ doing the same, there’s a good chance that having Jerry Lorenzo on board running their basketball department will drive attention towards some of the stuff he’s been doing.”
Sneakers that will appreciate most in value: Tanya Ma thinks Jordan 4s in neutral colours are up next when it comes to price inflation. “White Oreos were huge last year because they went with everything and have almost doubled in price over the year. So, I think this year ‘Military Blacks’ will do similarly well,” she says.
As for Jerroa, his prediction is the ever-popular TNs. “TNs are having their 25th anniversary next year, so some colours will skyrocket in value here in Aus,” he says.
Whether you’re looking to sell some pairs, or for another chance to cop the most coveted sneakers—PUSHAS has got you covered. You can check them out online, and over on Instagram @pushasofficial. You can also download their app for iOS and Android.
