Image via Complex Original
Sneakers, and all the peripherals around them, have changed an awful lot since the start of the modern era (which, for this discussion's sake, coincided with the release of the Air Jordan 1 in 1985). From tech to community to the very way they're bought and sold, everything about sneakers seems to be in a constant state of evolution. And for those of us who've been in it since the start, there are some things that might seem perfectly normal now that were absolutely unimaginable back then. As the State of Sneakers week continues, check out 10 Things That Exist Today in Sneakers That We Never Thought Would Exist and feel free to share your own in the comments section below.
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Hyped up release dates.
It's bad enough that you can't just walk into a store and see something new for the first time. But release dates have become almost as important as the sneakers themselves. People plan picnics, campouts, reconnecting with their BFFs and besties, all based on a release date they've been eyeing for the past 2 months. But why front? Reality is, that shit makes it easy sometimes.
Sneaker conventions held in arenas.
Seriously, what is this? Years ago arenas were meant for sports, concerts, Billy Graham and Billy Graham wannabes. Now, sneakerheads pour in by the thousands to events like Sneaker Con, Dunkxchange and H-Town Sneaker Summit. Nobody could have guessed that.
Mainstream media doing feature stories about sneakers.
Clearly they don't always understand sneakers or sneakerheads but it is crazy to think that ESPN, MSNBC and the like are paying attention.
Re-selling as a business.
Re-sellers. Just the name alone is like nails on a chalkboard for most sneakerheads. But for it to become a legitimate business venture is another story. Seems like no one buys sneakers to wear them anymore - retail is the new wholesale.
Every era of sneakers being available - at retail - simultaneously.
Could you imagine a world where they released LeBrons, Jordans, Reebok Pumps, Air Max, Chucks, Vans, Pony, Foamposites, Barkleys, Kobes, KDs, Pennys, Iversons... Wait, that already exists? Didn't see that one coming.
Sneaker-specific cleaning products.
Baby wipes should be left for your momma. But if we call them sneaker wipes, it's OK. Thank God there are so many sneeakerheads now otherwise you'd look like a total weirdo breaking out the cleaning solution on the subway.
Signature sneakers for non-athletes.
Yeezy taught us all well, apparently.
Signature sneakers for retired athletes.
MJ, Penny, and Barkley have signature sneaker lines and it's been years since any of them played in the NBA. Predicting that would be like predicting the apocalypse. (Or maybe it's a sign the apocalypse is coming?)
People making a living off sneakers who don't design them, make them, sell them, or endorse them.
There are so many people into sneakers now that you can literally make a profession out of anything in the industry. Sneakers and the Internet is the perfect combination of fuckery and debauchery. And we're not complaining about that one bit.
A virtual, global community.
Nobody would have ever guessed that we'd be chatting with people around the globe about sneakers. Hell, sometimes it still doesn't even seem real. It's made networking and friendships possible with people you couldn't have imagined, literally.
