If you don’t have any, get you a collab sneaker, stat.
Collaborations are the concentrated efforts of two brands. A lot of times, they are a product of the different and unique processes from the respective brands. Every time, however, they are the base sneaker seen and imagined through a different set of creative lenses. There are some good reasons as to why having at least 1 collaborative sneaker is not only good for the rotation, but also for the sneakerhead.
1. Collaboration Sneakers Add Some Depth To Your Rotation.
Even if you have some basic General Releases on rotation, even one collab can take your collection from warm to hot. I remember when I got my first collab sneaker, and although the rotation had some decent picks from the sea of general releases, there was nothing like having that collaboration sneaker that gave me an elevated option when it came to outfits and certain occasions.
2. They Put You On To New Names.
For a number of the collaborative sneakers I have bought, I wasn’t really on to the brands until after I copped the sneaker. Since then, I’ve been privy to those names and shops, and now my inbox is full of newsletters from a number of these brands.
And of course, there’s more benefit to this than that. Many places that have collabs are niche stores with dope sneakers and streetwear. So, you can cop their collab, and be put on to more brands aligned with the culture. On the other side of that coin, you might cop a collab sneaker from a brand that just so happens to carry that sneaker and other collab sneakers (think Nice Kicks), and still, you’re exposed to more brands and names in the culture. You can’t lose.
The more brands you know, the more you can expand your closet. The more your closet exapnds…
3. Your Alphet Game Goes Up.
Imagine you’re out at a dope event, whatever it may be. But the heat on feet are some Regular Adidas UltraBoost. Now, those are a solid pick; a very versatile, utilitarian sneaker, one of the sneakers I absolutely swear by. But imagine that same outfit with the Undefeated UltraBoost. Now your outfit is really popping. This isn’t to say that normal sneakers can’t make an outfit pop, they can. But collaboration sneakers give your outfit some real flavor.
Now, the real trick with collaborating your outfit with your sneakers depends on what clothes you have in your closet and/or how you dress yourself. (And I do hope if you’re reading this, you pick your own clothes out.) Just because you have some dope sneakers doesn’t automatically mean your outfit is fire. You still have to put in some work, and some of y’all have a lot of work to do.
4. You’re Going To Want More Collabs.
When you get that first collab sneaker, you’ll see just how much it enhanced your rotation, and then you’re going to want to keep up that energy. And trust me, the collabs will bring that energy. My first collab sneaker was the Adidas Consortium x Avenue EQT 93/16. Since then, not only have I developed a deep love for the Consortium, but now the majority of my sneakers are now collaboration sneakers. I have so many of them, I could wear a pair out in the street and you wouldn’t even know it was a collab, just because there are so many out there that go under the radar. And that leads me to my next point…
5. They’ve Been Easier And Cheaper To Cop.
Before Goat and StockX, you either got your rare kicks from Flight Club, eBay, or somewhere else. And really, only 1 of those places was actually a legitimate source for copping any kind of kicks. And that one place is notorious for jacking up the prices of kicks. But now with the advent of reseller markets and boutiques popping up literally ALL OVER THE PLACE, it’s never been easier to cop collaboration sneakers. Plus, depending on where you go, you can get them at decent prices.
If you follow and shop at those new stores and brands you’ve been put on to, there is a very good chance that you will find at least one collab sneaker in their sale section. People tend to think that because it’s a collaboration sneaker, it must have a $200+ price tag. This is not always true. I’ve gotten collabs for less than $50 on a number of occasions. And if you have just the right size, you might be able to cop that really really good collab sneaker because it’s been sitting there, and they gotta get rid of it to make room for new inventory. This typically happens during holiday sales.
Leave a Reply