If You’ve Ever Wanted to Be a Sneakerhead, Now’s a Good Time

Here at Cult MTL, we love keeping track of and featuring Montreal’s finest trends, and one area we’ve been keeping an eye on is the local sneaker community. Just last year, Sneakpeak Universe held its third annual gathering for sneakerheads in Montreal. The event featured stations for creating custom sneakers, repairing broken shoes, and trading or reselling them.

While from a regular observer’s point of view, sneaker culture is nothing but an odd interest in shoes; it actually goes beyond all of that. For some people, shoes are their passion, and they are both intrigued and fascinated by the materials used and designs developed. For others, their shoes express who they are, and this even leads to them personalizing their own shoes. And if you’ve ever wanted to be a sneakerhead, now is definitely a good time to start!

Why is now a good time?

The sneaker world is changing, and with technology paving the way, more and more sneakers are being release on the consumer market, especially this year. The list of exciting sneakers for 2021 includes the Off-White™ x Nike Air Zoom Tempo NEXT%, which was released this month. The pair is recognized as one of the most innovative running shoes ever from the Swoosh brand.

Another brand new release this month is the Patta x Vans Old Skool “Mean Eyed Cat,” which features the signature script logo and customized laces of the Dutch brand Patta. There is also the FTC x Nike SB Dunk Low “Sento,” which was released just in time for the Tokyo Olympics. It took heavy inspiration from sento, or Japanese indoor bathhouses.

Moreover, since 2019, eBay Canada has eliminated the seller fees on sneakers sold for at least $100. The popular ecommerce platform recognized its impact on the sneaker resale industry, and it wanted to encourage more sneakerheads to purchase their dream kicks. By removing the seller fee, the shoes’ selling price also goes down, allowing customers to buy more sneakers for less money.

Exciting developments like this, as well as the continuous creation of newer and more exciting shoes, means it’s a great time for consumers to enter the ever growing sneakerhead community.

How can you get started on your sneakerhead journey?

First, get that pair of sneakers you’ve been looking at for so long. It doesn’t have to be the newest release or the most expensive item from a brand. And they don’t even have to be brand new. Just start your collection with a pair you really want to get for yourself. Then, you can build upon your collection little by little with pairs you find eye-catching, comfortable, and most especially, affordable.

However, as mentioned earlier, most sneaker releases are sold out within minutes of being released. With the market being super competitive, you might miss out on a pair you’ve been eyeing for so long. If you are aiming to get a rare model, the chances are the price will increase exponentially over time so try not to overspend.

To help you in situations like this, you can join some of the thriving online communities that have popped up in recent years. For instance, SoleSavy is an online community of sneakerheads that help each other nab their favorite pairs. Members can even enlist in training sessions that walk them through the best practices when it comes to buying exclusive drops from some of the experts in their community. They also receive exclusive discounts and perks, like insider information about the latest releases and weekly and monthly giveaways. You can also attend and interact with the local community at this year’s Sneakpeak Universe, which is slated for August 14 at 8500, Décarie Boulevard.

As you learn more about the sneaker world from experts and fellow sneakerheads, you will soon develop your personal style. Remember, you don’t have to jump on every hype train you see, especially if it will cost you a lot of money. Even experts at Sneaker Con advise against doing this, as it isn’t sustainable and you will soon become disillusioned.

At the end of the day, though, it’s alright to splurge on your collection every now and then, but you have to leave room for pairs that will never go out of style. After all, they’re called classics for a reason.