Tag: passion blog

I’m going to be totally honest; I’m running out of ideas. I’ve covered most of the important shoes that need to mentioned, so I guess today I’m gonna talk about Crocs. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to say that Crocs aren’t important. As a matter of fact, they’re actually extremely useful and widely popular around the world. They’re just not a stereotypically “cool” shoe. However, necessity wins out, so let’s dive in and talk about Crocs.

Crocs were invented by Lyndon Hanson and George Boedecker Jr. in Colorado in 2002. They were first showed at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show, displaying the foam clog’s capability as a water shoe. While it may have initially been intended as a boating shoe, Crocs immediately made its way into households across the country, as the shoe was incredibly comfortable and nearly indestructible. They came in a plethora of colors and patterns, meaning that they had something for everyone. More importantly, they were highly practical. Crocs became a staple within professions such as nursing and food service, where people would be standing for hours at a time. It helped that they were designed to withstand water, were easy to clean, and provided non-slip traction on the bottom. Crocs became an absolute sensation. Suddenly, everyone from children to doctors had Crocs on their feet. Collaborations with Disney and Nickelodeon only made them more popular with kids, as they could don Crocs painted to look like cartoon icons such as Spongebob and Lightning McQueen. They even made little buttons called Jibbitz to stick inside the toe holes to customize your Crocs, further allowing people to express their individuality through their Crocs.

So far, this has seemed really positive, but we all know what happened next. In the early 2010s, people started to realize that Crocs were pretty ugly. This created an interesting split amongst the mainstream, with one half passionately despising the shoe and the other half passionately defending it. Outside of its little niche consumer base, the general public turned its back on Crocs. They became the laughing stock of the fashion and sneaker industry, essentially being relegated to one large joke.

Through all of the memes and criticism, Crocs’ fanbase remained dedicated, and now Crocs are almost popular again. More than 300 million pairs have been sold in over 90 countries, so whether you love them or hate them, Crocs are most definitely here to stay.

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For this week’s blog, I figured I would talk about something a little different. Although individual pairs of shoes are fascinating, the sneaker resale market is probably the most interesting facet of the sneaker industry. It’s such an incredibly dynamic thing, with so many different factors playing on the millions of shoes across the market. In today’s post I want to give a beginner’s guide to the sneaker resale, starting on some background about how this even came into existence.

The sneaker resale market comes from a relatively humble beginning, originating from a small group of people in the mid 90s who began trading and collecting sneakers. This group steadily grew throughout the years, eventually spreading to rappers, sports icons, and even fashion executives in the early 2000s. A dedicated community formed around the exchange of vintage of Jordan shoes that were originally disregarded by the public. The general public would come to be included when Nike decided to rerelease Jordan models under its own subjection called Jordan Brand. These shoes, unlike their original releases, sold out almost immediately, garnering widespread interest and overwhelming demand. Nike played off of this perfectly, creating more and more exclusive releases to increase the reputation of its shoes. This was how the sneaker industry came to be what we know today. Nike, as well as other major shoe brands like Adidas and Asics began collaborating with pop-culture figures in order to compete for attention. Every release would sell out immediately, and a new shoe would enter the expansive resell market.

Now that we’re up to speed, I think that it’s time to take a look at some of the mechanics of the resale market. There are two essential factors that drive the sneaker market: exclusivity and hype. Exclusivity is rather simple  because it works on the basics of supply and demand. The harder the sneaker is to get, the higher the value of the shoe. Hype is a more difficult concept to grasp. It’s what makes a shoe “cool,” what makes a specific shoe desirable. It varies from person to person, but it’s the most powerful tool of the resale market. Hype causes shoes to quadruple in value, making some shoes worth thousands of dollars.

Navigating the resale market is something that takes years of time and research to fully understand. For most, its much easier to simply walk into a shoe store and buy what’s most comfortable. Others choose to throw themselves into the abyss, hopeful of coming away with some of the most coveted shoes in the world.

 

I’m sure by this point you’re probably pretty tired of these. I’ve gone over three Jordan models, and unfortunately we’ll be looking at one more. On the positive side, this is both the last and most important Jordan shoe that I’ll be covering. All announcements  aside, it’s time to talk about my personal favorite Jordan silhouette: the Air Jordan 11.

The Jordan 11 is significant for a number of reasons. It was the first Jordan shoe to feature patent leather, as the entire toebox was reinforced with the stronger leather. It was the first shoe in the industry to be made with carbon fiber, using a plate under the midsole to help provide stability. More so than anything else, the shoe was just beautiful. It was sleek, futuristic and just plain amazing. Speaking purely from bias, I think that the Jordan 11 is arguably the best looking Jordan, with only the Jordan 1 coming even close in my mind. Its two-toned color palette made nearly every color-way desirable, and its colored outsole was just the cherry on top.

The Jordan 11 wasn’t just pretty, becoming one of the most praised basketball shoes to come from the Jordan line. They released for the 1995-96 NBA season, Jordan’s first since “retiring” to play baseball two years prior. This would be yet another historic season for Jordan and the Bulls, as they went 72-10 for the season, breaking the record for most wins in a season. Jordan won his fourth MVP this season, following it up with another NBA championship. By this point, Jordan’s legacy had been cemented as one of the greatest to ever play, but the Jordan 11 had yet to fully explode. Its opportunity would come in the form of a movie role.

Jordan’s stellar play in the 1995-96 season certainly boosted the Jordan 11’s already immense popularity, but its rise to the pantheon of sneakers can be credited to the movie Space Jam. In the movie, MJ dons a special pair of Jordan 11s that quickly became iconic. Dubbed the Jordan 11 “Space Jam,” it became one of the most sought after sneakers on the market. People would get their opportunity in 2009, when the shoe finally released to the public. The hysteria surrounding the shoe was so great that two people ended up dying due to stampedes on release day.

The Jordan 11 Concord is my favorite sneaker of all time. It singlehandedly spurned my passion for shoes, becoming my ultimate “grail” sneaker. I’m sure one day I’ll eventually get my pair, but until then I’ll save the $500.

 

 

Up to this point, every shoe that I’ve covered has been legendary due to its cultural significance. The Jordan 1 will always be remembered as the beginning of the Jordan line . The Jordan 3 will forever be seen as one of, if not the greatest sneaker ever made. And yet neither of these shoes were remembered necessarily for court success, aside from Jordan’s personal accolades in the Jordan 3. In fact, Michael Jordan had never made it to the finals, a glaring mark on his already immaculate NBA resume. People began questioning if he ever would, considering the idea of another NBA legend that never won a champion. The narrative changed with the Jordan 6.

The Air Jordan 6, like the Jordan 3, was designed by Tinker Hatfield. He took inspiration from a pair of Nike Air Trainer 2s worn at one of Michael Jordan’s summer basketball camps. Releasing in 1991, the Jordan 6 brought with it a number of improvements and firsts in the sneaker industry. Michael Jordan specifically requested a clean, strong toe for the shoe. Hatfield acquiesced, adding a reinforcement to the toebox, making the Jordan 6 the first basketball shoe to have the feature. It also had additional eyelets near the tongue for easier lacing, and switched to a clear rubber sole for better traction. The Jordan 6 also marked the last time that a Jordan shoe would prominently feature the signature Nike branding. Another detail to note is that the design of the inlay for the shoe actually writes out the numbers “23,” an ode to Jordan’s playing number.

The Jordan 6 is most comparable to the three in terms of memorable NBA seasons. Jordan would wear the six en route to another scoring title, his second league MVP, All-NBA first team, All-Defensive first team, and another steals title. With the shoe’s legacy already cemented, the NBA playoffs gave Michael Jordan, and the Jordan 6, the opportunity to become legendary.  Jordan and the Chicago Bulls steamrolled through the playoffs, sweeping two out of their three opponents en route to Jordan’s first NBA Finals. He averaged absolutely unreal numbers, especially in the finals, where the Bulls defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. Jordan had his first championship and first Finals MVP, all with the Jordan 6 on his feet.

The Jordan 6 has always been one of my  personal favorite silhouettes. Its sleek look and unique color blocking stand out as one of the best looking Jordans of all time. Next time you see me, I just might be wearing my Carmine 6s, the same shoe Jordan wore in his first NBA Finals.

 

 

In the long and storied history of the Air Jordan line, the Jordan 1 will be remembered as the beginning. Yet no Jordan shoe will ever be as iconic as the Jordan 3. With the designer of the Jordan 1 and 2 leaving Nike, Michael Jordan was days away from departing from the company as well, planning to sign with Adidas instead. With a foot already out the door, the one thing that kept Jordan from leaving was the inception of the Air Jordan 3.

Designed by Tinker Hatfield in 1986, the Jordan 3 made its official debut in the 1987-88 NBA season. The shoe was revolutionary for a number of reasons. For starters, it was the first Jordan sneaker to be mid-cut, allowing for more flexibility and stability than its high-cut and low-cut counterparts. It was also the first Jordan shoe to have visible Nike Air units, now a staple amongst Jordan Brand sneakers. Most importantly, it was the first Jordan shoe to feature the now-iconic jumpman logo, emblazoned right on the tongue. The 1987-88 season would go down as one of Michael Jordan’s greatest seasons ever, having won his first MVP, All-star game MVP, dunk contest champion, scoring champion, and defensive player of the year, all while wearing the Air Jordan 3. Jordan’s success on the court translated directly to the success of his shoes, as the Jordan 3 exploded in popularity with every accolade Jordan collected. But sales began to wane after the first few weeks, leading to Nike’s next great idea.

In order to boost sales for Jordan’s new shoe, Nike enlisted Spike Lee to star in a series of commercials with Jordan. Lee played Jordan superfan Mars Blackman, a character that would become synonymous with Jordan Brand and its sneakers. The commercials highlighted Jordan’s otherworldly talents, claiming that the source of his abilities came from his shoes using the line “its gotta be the shoes.” The commercials served to elevate the popularity of the Jordan 3, ingraining it in popular culture throughout the 80s and early 90s.

My own experience with the Jordan 3 also comes with a story. The Jordan 3 was the first Jordan Brand sneaker I ever owned. Having gotten a pair for my thirteenth birthday, it immediately became one of my favorite shoes of all time. Recently, I was lucky enough to buy a pair of the 2018 Jordan 3 Black Cement, the first colorway of the Jordan 3 to ever release. Every time I wear them, I think back to the fateful day that Michael Jordan almost left Nike, having only the Jordan 3 to thank for his return.

 

Every legend has its beginnings. In the world of footwear, that legend begins with the Air Jordan 1. For Michael Jordan’s rookie year, Nike decided to create a signature shoe for their budding star. Controversy immediately followed. The color blocking on the initial colorway, black and red, violated NBA uniform rules. Jordan was told he would be unable to play in the shoes lest he pay a $5000 fine every time he stepped on the court. It would come to be known as the Jordan shoe “ban”. This “ban” immediately made the shoe iconic. Nike took the ban and created a marketing campaign around it, catapulting the Jordan 1 into the pop culture world.  What was simply a signature shoe for a rookie was now a symbol for brash defiance.

When they eventually hit retail towards the end of the 1985 basketball season, people were outraged to find out that the shoes cost a staggering $65, easily the most expensive shoe on the market. Not even Nike had planned for the shoe to be popular, only expecting to sell around 100,000 pairs upon release. Nike went on to sell $55 million worth of the shoe. Seemingly overnight the Air Jordan 1 became the most popular shoe in America, selling out at almost every retailer. Its popularity would only grow as Jordan would don the shoe for the 1985 Slam Dunk Contest, which he would go on to win. With that, the Jordan 1 officially cemented its place in both footwear and pop-culture history.

The Jordan 1 was my own introduction into the world of footwear. I can vividly remember walking into the mall and seeing the Jordan 1 emblazoned on a banner outside of the shoe store. My eyes gleamed. Even at the age of six, I knew I needed them. That opportunity wouldn’t come around for another six years, when I got my first pair of Jordan 1s from a thrift store. I felt as if I had won the lottery. That single pair of shoes sparked a passion for sneakers that has yet to flicker. All it took was one pair to change my life.

Ask anybody to name the most iconic shoe of all time. Without a doubt, it will be the Jordan 1. This single shoe turned the world on its head, catapulting sneakers into the mainstream. It became a goal, something for people to aspire to. It made a statement. Luckily for us, that statement will likely last forever.

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