2008 Woodie Awards
Shoes with Bling
Adam Cadena
Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: Culture
Most new fashion trends hit the campus every fall semester as students return from summer vacation with new gear.
Nalgene water bottles, Chaco sandals, Sierra Nevada hoodies, and dreadlocks have been hip for a while but a new fashion trend has arrived in the form of retro and limited edition sneakers.
Many students from larger cities have brought the sneaker culture to Humboldt County in their suitcases. They sport brightly colored adidas, custom Nikes, and special edition skate shoes made by major brands.
HSU alumni Robert Lamb says, "Most people spend $80-$90 on a pair of Chacos or Birkenstocks, why not buy some bright sneaks that no one else has."
Running anywhere from $50 to $5,000 a pair, limited edition collector sneakers can cost as much as a set of car rims. According to Flight Club LA, a consignment-based shoe boutique, how rare a shoe is can affect the value of the shoe as well as how hyped the shoes are before their release. Because collectors buy and trade on the net, prices fluctuate with the shoe's rarity.
John Vitale, owner of Ampt Skateshop in Arcata said, "Sometimes trading is the best way to save money on shoes. People stroll into the store trying to trade me $200 shoes for something I have in the case. It's ridiculous."
Nike released a pair of Tiffany edition shoes that boast alligator leather printed on the sides and a diamond emblem on the tongue of the shoe. Most would think they look like a standard shoe until they saw the price tag at $675, possibly the most expensive shoes walking around our campus. According to nikeskateboarding.org, there were only 4,000 pairs of the shoe released. When the Tiffany edition came out, demand was far higher than supply upping the price substantially.
Vitale said, "Nike is our best seller, but it's barely starting to break out. We used to be on K Street and we had tons of Nikes but no one started buying until the shoe game blew up in Arcata. What happened 10 years ago in the city is finally here."
Even though Nike is selling big because of the hype behind sneakers, a lot of other brands are cashing in. Puma is releasing a Yo! MTV Raps series based on famous rappers from the 80s like Doug E. Fresh. Vans had a collaboration series with the Simpsons right before the movie came out. Usually $30-$40 a pair, they jumped to $100-$200 a pair at online stores like pickyourshoes.com and vintagekicks.com.
But what are sneaker collectors after; comfort, quality, or just plain style? Wes Earl, a local community member and shoe collector, said, "It's about the quality of the shoe first, and style second. I don't buy based on name brand though, I have shoes from a lot of different brands."
HSU alumni Ian Alden says, "It's about supporting smaller shoe companies like Converse or Vans, not owned by large corporations. The price is way too high for shoes in general." He says he doesn't support Nike or adidas. However, according to Vapors magazine, Converse is actually owned by Nike. Most people are not aware of that.
Either way, limited edition shoes are popping up all over the place. So look out around campus at what everyone is wearing. Watch out because you don't want to step on someone's Milli Vanilli Nike Classics.
Adam Cadena can be contacted at acc16@humboldt.edu
Nalgene water bottles, Chaco sandals, Sierra Nevada hoodies, and dreadlocks have been hip for a while but a new fashion trend has arrived in the form of retro and limited edition sneakers.
Many students from larger cities have brought the sneaker culture to Humboldt County in their suitcases. They sport brightly colored adidas, custom Nikes, and special edition skate shoes made by major brands.
HSU alumni Robert Lamb says, "Most people spend $80-$90 on a pair of Chacos or Birkenstocks, why not buy some bright sneaks that no one else has."
Running anywhere from $50 to $5,000 a pair, limited edition collector sneakers can cost as much as a set of car rims. According to Flight Club LA, a consignment-based shoe boutique, how rare a shoe is can affect the value of the shoe as well as how hyped the shoes are before their release. Because collectors buy and trade on the net, prices fluctuate with the shoe's rarity.
John Vitale, owner of Ampt Skateshop in Arcata said, "Sometimes trading is the best way to save money on shoes. People stroll into the store trying to trade me $200 shoes for something I have in the case. It's ridiculous."
Nike released a pair of Tiffany edition shoes that boast alligator leather printed on the sides and a diamond emblem on the tongue of the shoe. Most would think they look like a standard shoe until they saw the price tag at $675, possibly the most expensive shoes walking around our campus. According to nikeskateboarding.org, there were only 4,000 pairs of the shoe released. When the Tiffany edition came out, demand was far higher than supply upping the price substantially.
Vitale said, "Nike is our best seller, but it's barely starting to break out. We used to be on K Street and we had tons of Nikes but no one started buying until the shoe game blew up in Arcata. What happened 10 years ago in the city is finally here."
Even though Nike is selling big because of the hype behind sneakers, a lot of other brands are cashing in. Puma is releasing a Yo! MTV Raps series based on famous rappers from the 80s like Doug E. Fresh. Vans had a collaboration series with the Simpsons right before the movie came out. Usually $30-$40 a pair, they jumped to $100-$200 a pair at online stores like pickyourshoes.com and vintagekicks.com.
But what are sneaker collectors after; comfort, quality, or just plain style? Wes Earl, a local community member and shoe collector, said, "It's about the quality of the shoe first, and style second. I don't buy based on name brand though, I have shoes from a lot of different brands."
HSU alumni Ian Alden says, "It's about supporting smaller shoe companies like Converse or Vans, not owned by large corporations. The price is way too high for shoes in general." He says he doesn't support Nike or adidas. However, according to Vapors magazine, Converse is actually owned by Nike. Most people are not aware of that.
Either way, limited edition shoes are popping up all over the place. So look out around campus at what everyone is wearing. Watch out because you don't want to step on someone's Milli Vanilli Nike Classics.
Adam Cadena can be contacted at acc16@humboldt.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
AG
posted 11/19/08 @ 1:44 PM PST
I like the article. Theres a shoe out there that would fit perfectly with this post. They are called Kashi Kicks. They are even known as the "shoes that shine. (Continued…)
NFL Super Bowl Bet
posted 12/08/08 @ 9:24 AM PST
I love the sneaker culture.
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