Sports shoes: a fashion and collection item that generates thousands of dollars a year | Peru | Sport | slipper | Collectibles | TRENDS

It is presented as an informal, casual shoe or for sports use. Sneakers have long been a symbol of fashion and comfort among the most iconic looks and consumers who collect them as a hobby that generates emotions and knowledge.

The sports shoe industry generates US$ 55,000 million worldwide, according to data from the consultancy Global Edge. And while the United States leads the market, with about 40% of sales, China follows with 10%.

In addition to the main business of selling footwear, there is another secondary business that moves 10% of the total annual turnover, according to The Economist magazine.

That secondary market is found in the transaction of limited models, a strategy of the big manufacturers of sports shoes that create exclusive editions to increase demand, turning them into collector’s items for the regular sports shoe consumers.

“People start collecting for the fun of it and they go deeper into this world (of collecting). In recent years it has had considerable growth, since collaborations with boutiques, celebrities, singers, soccer players, among others, have become a trend”, details Alejandra Torrelli, sneakerhead and team Adidas.

collectibles

On the other hand, the preferences and tastes of those who collect sports shoes are motivated by the exclusivity and limited edition of the shoes.

“The hype (the emotion) is moved a lot by celebrities and collaborations. For example, Bad Bunny or Yeezy forums (both from Adidas) are limited and after being sold out they don’t come out again,” Torrelli details.

Widman Calderón, collector of sports shoes, comments to Management who currently has approximately 90 pairs of sneakers as a result of his collecting and interest in experimenting with materials and technologies.

“My tastes and preferences change over time and the brands that have surprised me the most are Asics, Kangaroos, Mizuno and New Balance. Currently my collection is valued (taking into account the retail price) at about US$12,000”, details Calderón from @widcalderon.

In addition, there are those who collect shoes including retro basketball, running models and some much more modern pairs both in design and technology.

“I have close to 30 pairs in my personal collection, from Yeezys, Jordans, Nikes, New Balance and a few Reebok collabs. Despite being a complicated calculation, I consider that my collection is valued at around US$7 thousand dollars”, says Renato Salazar, content creator and Instagramer at @renatosalazare

Collectors agree that they have used all the pairs in their collections and always keep them clean after use.

Rubén Real, content creator at @enquetabas, for his part, has more than 60 pairs, most of them Air Jordan. “I also have brands like Adidas, Nike, New Balance, Puma and Yeezy. The Air Jordan 1, a Nike collaboration with singer Travis Scott, stands out for the inverted swoosh on the outside and is my favorite silhouette”, he details.

exclusive and limited

The big brands carry out two types of releases that differ in the amount of stock per collection. But there are brands like Adidas that retain a degree of exclusivity in their shoes.

“The exclusive releases are accompanied by collaborations, they are limited and designed for the collecting community. In addition, they have higher prices because they vary in materials and colors”, comments Alejandra Torrelli, sneakerhead and Adidas team.

Among the most iconic releases are the Yeezy from the collaboration between Adidas and Kanye West or the Ivy Park collection in collaboration with Beyoncé, where a regular price pair is S/650 and on resale it can go up to S/2,500, according to data. brand officials.

Likewise, the Bad Bunny Forum line by Adidas have generated a great demand. All releases were sold out in a matter of minutes, where a pair had a regular value of S/ 600 and in resale it could reach S/ 3000.

In short:

The beginning of sports shoes. The history of sports shoes begins in 1839, when an American scientist named Charles Goodyear invented vulcanized rubber, which was initially used for sports shoes. Later, in the early 20th century, two companies capitalized on the rubber shoe business. The US Rubber Company developed Keds, making them available for sale in 1916. A year later, Converse launched its All Star sneakers. While, in 1924, German brothers Rudolf and Adolf “Adi” Dassler joined the game, creating their own business and designing footwear for athletes. Converses were worn by the US basketball team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, while American runner Jesse Owen competed – and won four gold medals – wearing racing shoes designed by the Dasslers.