STEP UP TO THE OFFICE

Words by Lesego Ntsime | Images: Supplied

A wise man once said, “Everything has a story,” and that includes the sneakers we choose to rock. Think back to the Olympic Games of 1968 when American athlete Tommy Smith ascended to the podium to receive his gold medal carrying a single Puma Suede shoe. After he placed the sneaker on the ground, he raised his right fist in a Black Panther salute - a sign for the call for equality and human rights - attaching the sneaker to one of the most profound moments in sporting history.

Fifty-five years later, sneaker culture continues to reign supreme, evolving from a sportswear necessity to a fashion statement. Much-anticipated drops, long queues, mystifying raffles and ever-growing collections have become the norm in this culture, with enthusiastic sneakerheads intensely following every step.

Sneaker culture has become so deeply engrained into our everyday lives, with many attaching personal memories to their prized pairs. We’ve gathered some of our fave sneakerheads from the Superbalist team and asked them to dig into their sneaker box to share a few of their most treasured pairs and their histories. Here’s what they had to say:

“My favourite sneakers would have to be my son's mini collection (lol) mainly because he has pairs that I wish I could afford in my size, however getting them for him still keeps my heart at ease as I still get to have them in hand. A few of my favourites to mention would be his Air Max 97/1 Sean Wotherspoon, Air Jordan 6 Travis Scott British Khaki and Air Jordan 1 Spider-Man Origin Story.”

“My top 2 sneaker memories would have to be getting matching Air Max 1 Parras with my wife for our engagement shoot and they're one of the only pairs I don't plan on letting go off, and finally being able to own the Air Max 90 "Bacon". It's the one shoe that made me fall in love with sneakers and realise that most sneakers will always have a backstory to creating them, which makes collecting them so fun.”

ON THE RADAR: Air Max 95 White/Black

“I was 13 years old when I first wanted a pair of branded sneakers. It was my grade 8 surf walk and I wanted new clothes and shoes. Naturally, I wanted a pair of Nikes because it was the first brand I was drawn towards. My mom took me to the mall, going from store to store (I was a picky kid) and looking at different sneakers after hours of hunting down the perfect pair of kicks I found a pair that was unique to me and that was a pair of black/multicoloured Nike dunk low SE Free 99. That's when I realised I am a sneaker girl and I got more invested in sneaker culture. Now, nearly 17 years later, I'm still wearing sneakers from different sneaker brands that speak to my style, it's definitely still my preferred footwear style.”

ON THE RADAR: New Balance CT302 v1

“My pink glittery Adidas Falcon sneakers are my absolute favourites. I love the Falcon range and when I saw these, I had to have them! They are really fun to wear and give your outfit that WOW factor.”

“I also really love my red Converse high-top sneakers. I have had them for many years and they are such a classic piece to have in your shoe collection! They were the first thing I had purchased with my very first paycheck! It was a proud moment I had shared with my mom, so I will definitely keep these forever.”

ON THE RADAR: Nike blazer mid ‘77 - white/metallic silver-sail-summit whitee

My favourite sneaker memory was when a limited pair of adidas sneakers released back in 2015. There was a live raffle held right outside of the store on the day. The raffle was approaching the end and there were 5 numbers still to be called. I had lost hope…and then my number got called! That was my opportunity to go in the store and buy this sought-after pair of sneakers. I had the biggest smile on my face at that moment. Great! So I leave the store; happy with my purchase but the raffle is still proceeding, with the last few numbers still to be called. My plus one's raffle ticket number gets called! This was my second chance to buy the same pair of sneakers. Gobsmacked, I didn't know what to do. My first thought was to buy a second pair in my size as an extra pair but then decided to buy my brother - who shares the same passion for sneakers - the pair. Seeing the passion and hype that fellow sneakerheads have for this space and walking away with 2 pairs from a total of about 20 pairs in store and 300 people hoping for a chance. That was a good day!”

ON THE RADAR: Nike x Comme Des Garçons - Air Max Sunder