For my semester project, I will be exploring the influence of the internet and media upon sneaker culture. Since the inception of the internet and media, the sneaker community has largely grown internationally. Since then, shoes have become so much more than just things to protect one's feet, and have rather become something much more valuable and coveted.
I will be covering a bit of history, giving several examples, and sharing all the necessary information about the topic.
To give one quick example, when the Air Jordan 1s were first released for $65 in 1985, they sat on shelves for a while, some even hitting the sale rack. The only way people would be able to buy them is through the local sneaker store. Just a few weeks ago, these same Jordans were released for $160 and sold out in seconds on every website that stocked them. Due to the internet, the sneakers were readily available to everyone worldwide, rather than having to go to the store to pick them up. The spectacle will also play a part into this project.
Hi Jedd. This topic is really interesting and as the shoe/sneaker culture in the USA has a rich history. I think it would cool to see the relation between the sneaker culture and the black community as the sneaker became an urban icon (ranging from the 80s with Run DMC to the black athletes in the 21st century). I actually saw an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum last year about the sneaker culture and I think it could provide some more information for you. Below are a few links.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/rise_of_sneaker_culture/
http://riseofsneakerculture.org
The spectacle is definitely a big part of sneaker culture nowadays. Should definitely have a section about the rise of reselling sneakers that's become a business built around it's post-retail value (not sure if that's the way the say it).
ReplyDeleteThe spectacle is definitely a big part of sneaker culture nowadays. Should definitely have a section about the rise of reselling sneakers that's become a business built around it's post-retail value (not sure if that's the way the say it).
ReplyDelete