Summary: The Importance Of Sneakerhead Subculture

1069 Words5 Pages

The importance of sneaker history on sneakerhead subculture is unequivocal as well as significantly having boosted revenue of the sneaker industry for the past decade. Sneaker gains its popularity from merely being used as shoes to a symbol of fashion. When mentioning sneaker history, it is inconceivable to ignore black culture. Sneaker culture and black culture are inseparable in which both emphasis the essence of Hip-hop culture. Wearing sneakers does not only aim for matching costume but also granting black a way of performing Hip-hop music and delegating black an exclusive identity. Cultural resistance to slavery, the adoption of a definite identity and later ‘cool’ impression were displayed through black music and footwear. During the period of 1900-1970, an estimated five million African Americans migrated from the south to the north. Cities, such as New York, became places of their residence. They imported some musical transitions and cultural practices. According to Ross (2016), black represented authenticity in white popular culture. African Americans were able to form their own culture which was a break from the norm. The authentic Hip-hop culture is recounted as an attraction and …show more content…

Following Castells’ informational and network society theory (Castells, 2011), the necessary commodity was the possession of information and networks. It is entirely true in sneakerhead subculture. Hard core members always possess information about limited editions, especially the release dates, before peripheral members have even heard they might exist. Electronic media and websites, for instance sneakerfreaker.com, sneakernews.com and nicekicks.com, which post frequent updates on new styles and release dates and locations, are guidance for peripheral members. With accessible information online, the subculture group is able to be enormously