A few months before the first Milan edition of the most famous sneaker convention in the world, we analyzed the status of the Sneaker business and asked Sergio Muster, founder of Sneakerness, how the world has changed since the first edition of ten years ago in Bern until today.
After reading his answers and the analysis of our collaborator Andrea Piantone, which you can also find on the September 2018 issue of Focus ON, you will have a spontaneous question:
“Is there really anyone, seen the direction that this world has taken, who is waiting for Sneakerness Milano?”
Today the sneaker has become a real object of desire, from enthusiasts, collectors, but also from common buyers. If thirty years ago the success of this article was due to the pure love for the object in 2018 is closely linked to the business world, even coming to speak about a “sneaker game” of the economy.
Already at the beginning of this change, some figures have seen the economic potential of sneaker, like the Japanese Katsushige Kamamoto and Hommyo Hidefumi and the American Jeff Staple. New possibilities of gain are opened, and stores are created to realize the dream of owning a scarce sneaker. In Italy, this movement comes slightly late, at the turn of the nineties and early 2000s.
The real breakthrough occurred in 2009 when Kanye West realized with Nike the limited series of Air Yeezy, almost unobtainable.
In this media chaos, great projects are also born, such as Sneakerness founded by the three co-owners Sergio Muster, Lukas Wanner and Diana Cabarles, who will arrive in Milan on October 7th and 8th 2018.
An event for sneaker fans and more, which will give the chance to admire the rarest shoes in the world and meet people related to the world of music, art and fashion.
Here you can find our interview with Sergio:
10 years have passed since the first Sneakerness in Berna. How do you see this foolish circus changed, both in the way of making sneakers and in the main figures and in the public that follows you?
Everything became faster and transparent. People can inform themselves really fast through the internet and social media. I also see that the sneaker core game has become younger and is into more fashion. The kids want to express their style from head to toes. Funny is that everyone wants to be individual but at the end they look all the same in a way. Als the thing about collecting sneaker, in my time period we used to buy a lot of the same model meaning 30 pairs of Nike Air Max TN 1. Nowadays including me buying various model of different brands. It not about to have as many sneakers possible it about to have the overall outfit.
Concerning “making sneakers” the technology of lacing or even material getting more and more environmental awareness what I personally like.
Are you a “one to rock, one to stock” type or do you love wearing your sneakers?
It really depends. If I like a sneaker a lot I try to buy two pairs but not for reselling just to have one pair on reserve if the first one I rocked to death.
Do you think that sooner or later this bubble will burst to bring everything back to the beginning of the movement, or will there be a evolution without the need for a return to the origins? Which is your opinion about the sneakers market that reaches crazy figures (only in the US it values 1.2 billion dollars)?
Some time ago sneaker was niche. Mainly related people to the Hip Hop/Rap culture were wearing sneakers. Over the past years, everybody recognized how comfy & fashionable sneakers are and not just supposed to wear them during sports activities. Meaning sneakers became a fashion statement. And fashion will always be a developing industry. For sure the sneaker game will be always wavy but it never will get back to a niche product.
In a pair of sneaker, what do you consider most, the materials, the shape, the emotional value or something else?
It like on women, the overall package matters. But I really like when some new technologies like materials or lacing system are implemented.
On the one hand, globalization and the Internet have f made easier the access to this world by so many people, making this sector wider, on the other hand, they have removed a bit of poetry. What do you think about this?
In the end for me a good thing. Everyone should get what he/she wants if he/she is working hard and earns it.
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