Class blog by Sunneo Wang

How did we get here?(Sneakers)-1984

swang1_64 — 2024-01-17 18:06:28 UTC

Everything around us has been improving, so as a sneaker, sneakers has been popular since long time ago, not just cause of brand or the spokesperson, there is lots of technology and information to bring the importance of sneakers in sneaker-heads mind.

The origin and impact(1984-now)

swang1_64 — 2024-01-17 18:18:48 UTC

Since 1984, when the first Air Jordan 1 came out, it broke the record of the amount of sales of basketball shoes, it's the first shoe that includes an air pad in the mid-sole, this sneaker starts the legend of Michael Jordan, also bring up the booming sneaker market.

Later on the sneakers(the 2000s)

swang1_64 — 2024-01-18 17:50:47 UTC

Many generations of sneakers had dropped out year by year, many brands brought up their own technology on their sneakers.

Brands have been designing new things and new ideas on sneakers, the lightness, the bounces, after the year 2000, brands made the most iconic market, new design and new technology, makes the compete between each brand to another level.

Changed the game(2002-now)

swang1_64 — 2024-01-19 17:25:54 UTC

The greatest decision had been made by Nike, which changed the game.

In 2002, Kobe Bryant was drafted from Adidas, Nike picked him up from the market, this choice made Nike sit still on the selling records.

The "Zoom Kobe" affection to the market and the costumers was too big, till now, most people will still pick "Zoom Kobe" as their favorite shoes to wear in a basketball game.

Something makes The Brand NIKE unique

swang1_64 — 2024-01-19 17:43:09 UTC

Zoom Air

One of the most significant inventions that changed the market.

It is the sneaker technology that has bounce responsiveness, the controllable air pressure, is able to make dynamic foot feeling, which can be made into different shape and used in different type of sneakers(such as running sneakers).

The other UNIQUE(BOOST 2013)

swang1_64 — 2024-01-22 17:52:17 UTC

Now, if you decide to buy a sneaker from a popular brand(such as Nike or Adidas), there will be a question"why are there things looking like popcorn on the shoes?"

In 2013, when ZOOM AIR was dominating the market, Adidas made a mid-sole that fed almost half of the market(BOOST, a supercritical foaming eva material ). Unlike ZOOM AIR, producing BOOST has a lower cost, after BOOST was invented, many brands made their own supercritical material, for example, Li-Ning(a sporting brand)made BOOM, Puma made Nitro Fusion.

Kobe's Death(2020 Jan 26)

swang1_64 — 2024-01-23 17:43:42 UTC

When we are talking about basketball sneakers, we have to mention 2 men, Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, one open up the sneaker market, one made a brand dominate the market.

After Kobe's death, all the Zoom Kobe sneakers price went crazy on the market, this is why people say"When Kobe left, some people are drowned in the sorrow, some are enjoying the money that they made from the foam market.

After a while, the foam on the market disappeared, of coarse the price dropped down, but, Nike planed on releasing more Kobe sneakers(which most of the people think that Nike do this for money), but Kobe's wife disagreed, she said"Kobe wish everybody can afford his shoes". But in 2023, Vanessa signed a new contract with Nike, After a few months, a new Kobe 6 Dropped out(but the price is still on a high place).

The good thing is, us as sneaker heads are able to wear new Kobe sneakers, but we still wish that it can be in a price that it is supposed to be.

Sneaker's today

swang1_64 — 2024-01-24 17:35:26 UTC

After talking about all of the stuff that happened before, when we put our view on today. These days, new generation of players appears in the league, most of them have their own signature sneaker, but, as a consumer, I can feel that all the brands is not trying to improve their product, instead, the product bands made, can't compare with the sneakers they made before.

The main reason for that is, the competition between different brands dropped. What people want to say is, we still want to see some product that can amaze us, also, bring the price of sneaker to where it was before, to make people have more option, to choose the sneaker that fit them the best.

(The picture is Gt cut, known as a great sneaker made after 2020)