ARE RESELLERS RUINING
SNEAKER CULTURE? Isabel Wright How much is too much for a sneaker? $1,000? $2,000? What if you knew that someone took a sneaker that retailed for $200 and resold it for $2,000? This is a relatively common theme in today’s sneaker culture. Popularized apps like Grailed and StockX provide a platform to buy the latest sneakers and even make a fortune off of them, all without the competition of sneaker drops. “Now it’s all about money. It’s not about shoes anymore. It’s not about the design and the impact of the shoe as whether it’s the new technology or, you know, the latest thing. It’s never thought about the shoe anymore but the value that it holds,” said sneaker collector and YouTuber Roszko. The concept of having “drops,” or a limited shoe supply, drives the popularity and demand. It has become an economy of its own, with sneaker resellers going as far as purchasing illegal bots to take advantage of sneaker drop websites like Nike’s SNKRS, just for the resell value on the limited inventory. 38 HIGHLANDER FEATURES
