When you think of the term “Sneakerhead”, you might think of male Hypebeast fanatics adorned in the current trending streetwear collections. But in this case, the term “Sneakerhead” is used to just describe Adeline; a 19-year-old sneaker collector and self-proclaimed “sneakerhead”. She may not have the biggest sneaker collection as other hardcore sneaker collectors, but she feels lucky and grateful to own a handful of sneakers she truly loves and adore.
Adeline stated that ‘sneaker culture’ has changed her life. Initially, she was first into ‘skate culture’, and looked up to brands like Vans, Etnies, DC, Nike SB and Emerica. Then, during her teenage years, she started getting into running sneakers due to her athletic peers, which fueled her interest in running sneakers, for instance, Nike Pegasus. She then slowly progressed into Jordans, SB Dunks and others, that would further cement her love for sneakers. But, despite the many changes in her interests, Adeline confesses that she was more of a Nike Jordans and Vans type of girl.
She addressed that the Air Jordan 1 ‘Royals’ would be top favorite pair, normally called ‘Grails’ in sneaker lingo. She actually won the pair of shoes after participating in a raffle on her birthday.
“So, it was sort of like a birthday present to me, and I was just super happy to get it. It added extra value and emotion to the pair.” Adeline continued.
Adeline also talked about her top 3 favorite sneakers in her collection, “For the Top 3 in my collection currently, I'd say it would be AJ1 Royals, AJ3 Black Cements, and AirMax 1 Curry.”
Adeline also credited social media for helping her find out more about other female sneakerheads and ‘sneakerhead culture’ on a broader spectrum. Adeline was also able to find a vast community of sneaker enthusiasts through the social media platforms. With sneakers, she found some topics that she was able to bring up and discuss with other like-minded people. She even found some close friends through this!
“I have a best friend who loves sneakers just as much as I do, and I met him when we were both around the age of 15 in secondary school; where we struck up a conversation about a pair of Air Jordan 4 Toros,” said Adeline.
She noted that Instagram was a big boost for her discovering other female sneakerheads that shared the same interests as her. This in turn gave Adeline a sense of purpose in life, seeing that women in ‘sneaker culture’ were starting to rise up and grow in popularity, despite ‘sneaker culture’ being a male-dominated culture.
With Adeline’s comments regarding female sneakerheads, it’s safe to say that recognizing the female audiences in sneaker culture is vastly important. It's not only about empowering women, but also about moving forward and being more progressive. Back in 2017 to 2018, sneaker companies started to heed to what their female audiences wanted, and catered to their style. With this, we know that there is a way to move forward, where women can be seen as equal in the ‘sneakerhead’ community.
“I think it's pretty amazing. Women can wear whatever they want, depending on their mood. It's good to see women being a huge force in the sneaker community and serving as style icons for other women and even men. It's just one big group and it feels good. So, I'd say carry on pulling off those dope fits!” said Adeline.
Adeline closed up her interview by recommending @jennizerr, @dongottti, @raypolancojr, @ralphromeo who were a big inspiration for her in her fits and sneaker-related photography, so please do check them out!
By: Kher Jean