Sneaker culture and the sneaker resell market has grown tremendously over the past several years. This has, however, come with both positives and negatives.

This newfound growth has come about largely due to social media influence and celebrity collaborations and influence. The advent of TikTok has also helped to greatly boost the sneaker community.

Celebrities like Travis Scott and Kanye West have brought many new people into the sneaker community. Collaborations with brands such as Off-White and Ambush have also helped to dramatically increase interest in sneakers.

The good that has come with this expansion is a wider audience being included and welcomed into a community that they might have a never been a part of before. This helps a great deal of people feel as though they are a part of something.
The downside of the rise of sneaker culture has been the ridiculous resell market that has come about. Insane resell prices make desirable shoes that have limited releases unaffordable for the average person.

Shoes that retail for $100 end up being sold for often double the price and in plenty of cases even more. This makes a community that was once all about inclusivity and being attainable for the general populous much more unavailable and exclusive.

Absurd resell prices drive many people to search for and buy replicas just so that they can afford shoes that they like. Replicas have begun to flourish more recently given the upwards trajectory of reselling popular shoes.

Replicas are often looked down upon because they are fake, but for many it is their only option if they don’t get the shoe when it drops and resell is way too high for them to afford.

The resell market takes away what sneaker culture is truly all about and makes it difficult for most people to truly enjoy being into sneakers.