The Future of Sneakers Is ______.
Don't overthink the fundamentals of the game.
Back to the future.
It’s absolutely wild to think about how long I’ve spent working in the footwear business in some way shape or form. It’s been an amazing ride. From building the original Eastbay Blog (RIP) to sitting at the ESPY Awards with my friend Jacques Slade, moving around the country to work for companies like Complex, Finish Line, StockX, but recently I’ve been thinking about what I love the most about it all.
Even after all these years, there are three things that bring me back to what I love about the sneaker game.
“Sneakers are a young man’s game.” I think that’s bullshit.
The first and most obvious aspect of sneakers that I love is the people. A famous sneakerhead that I’d prefer to keep nameless once said to me, “sneakers are a young man’s game.” I think that’s bullshit. While I can understand the sentiment and perception, I think that mentality is what made the sneaker world such a hostile place for many years.
To me, sneakers are an “everyone is welcome here” hobby. Other than basic necessities of life, what’s more universally relatable than slipping on a pair of shoes?
That’s one of the many reasons I start and end every episode of the Sneaker History Podcast with “Tell someone you like their kicks today…”, because that favorite pair you’re wearing today is something people from all different backgrounds can relate to. Even if the pair on your feet isn’t their favorite pair, it’s likely they have a favorite pair or a pair they wear just because it makes them feel good.
I think of sneakers as a common ground, accepting of every person that puts on a smile while they lace up a pair they love, and the perfect tool to break down the societal pressures that push all of us apart. While at one point young men became obsessed with sneakers and pushed them into the mainstream, the people wearing a fresh pair of kicks today are as diverse as the people on this planet. The proof of how great that diversity makes the sneaker game can be found in the stories from the people that wear them. When you tell someone you like their kicks, it takes us out of the inherently defensive mode many of us live in these days.
We’ve never seen more people getting the chance to work in the industry, collaborate with brands, and shape the future of sneakers. While we’ve still got a long ways to go, there have been significant steps since I started working in this business. That evolving diversity continues to be one of the things that I love most about this hobby-turned-obsession-turned-profession.
Last but definitely not least, the art of self expression that the sneaker community showcases is always so inspiring. I’m a relatively simple person when it comes to style. A majority of the time, I’m in a pair of Dickies or Ben Davis pants, plain tee or maybe a hoodie, my San Francisco Giants fitted, and where I really get “wild” is with my sneakers. That doesn’t mean I don’t love seeing my fellow sneakerheads take their self-expression to levels I wouldn’t dare.
As a matter of fact, I think one of the most beautiful things about sneakers is seeing the more fashionable and forward-thinking enthusiasts inspiring more reserved folks like me to get outside of their comfort zone. There is a sense of confidence and level of pride that comes with the relationships that are tied together through sneakers.
Regardless of the groundbreaking new technologies, hot collaborators, or the trends that will shape the sneaker world in 2025 and beyond, for me the trifecta of the future will always be the people, the diversity, and the self-expression. The same way it has been since I first fell in love with sneakers trying to draw them with my brother as a kid.
You knew it was coming... tell someone you like their kicks today. ✌️