Sneakers subculture - market gauge for footwear manufacturers
Sneakerheads, a growing subculture devoted to collecting footwear, has attracted the attention of big companies like Nike Inc. which monitor the shoe-collecting community’s choices to gauge the latest fashions and boost their brands among young trend-setters.
Sneakerheads are prepared to spend all night queuing for a new shoe and devote staggering amounts of time and money to collecting footwear. The investment can prove lucrative to collectors fortunate enough to get their hands on limited editions such as the Nike Dunk, which retailed for $120 and sold online for about $1,500 a week later.
Collectables can easily run into hundreds of dollars with vintage models and limited-edition sneakers and anything related to basketball legend Michael Jordan are typically worth more. An original black-and-gold Air
