Gunduz, Erin. “The Intersection of Sneakerhead Culture and Racism in the United States of America.” Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology, and Society, vol. 13, no. 2, 2020, pp. 1-26.
The article discusses Sneakerhead culture, emphasizing its role in the contemporary world and explaining its relevant features. It also provides a comprehensive insight into the history of the sneaker as a luxury item, which is the object of desire for many. The work reveals the popularity of this type of fashionable shoe in modern culture, supporting statements with numbers, such as annual market growth rate and value of the market. Consumerism theory that partially explains the spread of interest in sneakers among social classes is also explained.
Moreover, the work successfully reveals the connection between the subculture and imbalance in access to this item, consumption of sneakers conceives, which leads to violence. The piece outlines potential causes for the violence, associating it with social status, discussing its manifestations, and crimes that involved sneaker brands. The article significantly contributed to my autoethnography, as it enabled me to deepen the comprehensive insight into the culture.
Luecke, Andrew. “The Ten Most Influential Subcultures of the Decade.” Highsnobiety, 2021. Web.
This work examines the influence subcultures, one of which is sneakerheads, have had on modern society. It provides an insight into the phenomenon that makes people admire the culture and desire to participate in it. The article also shows the universal form of this type of fashion, supporting it with evidence that sneaker culture does not have limits, and everyone can join it regardless of social status, physics, age, ethnicity, or gender. In addition, it reveals that this subculture exists beyond politics, does not divide people into smaller groups, which makes all the sneaker owners feel themselves as they are a part of an important and large union. In addition, the vital role of the subculture in the world of fashion and its influence on the online sales system development is discussed. Finally, this work shows the connection that sneakers create between people of different ages and claims that this culture is expected to further influence society.
Matthews, Delisia, et al. “I Wear, Therefore I Am: Investigating Sneakerhead Culture, Social Identity, and Brand Preference Among Men.” Fashion and Textiles, vol. 8, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-13.
This work is focused specifically on the influence sneaker subculture causes on society, and the brand preferences, practices, and group identity factors within it based on the Social Identity Theory. The Sneakerheads community is examined through the scopes of motivations, behaviors, and brand identity. Moreover, the work reveals the specificities of Sneakerheads’ lifestyle, supporting it with evidence of unique behavioral patterns and practices. The findings of the study prove the presence of social and psychological drivers in the adult male Sneakerheads community, which are peer influence, self-esteem, and desired connection to larger fashion trends. The significant evidence of a relationship between social status and desire to join the subculture is provided, based on noticing that the study participants tend to overcompensate the inability to join the community in their adolescence by fulfilling the desires in adulthood. Therefore, the work significantly contributes to the understanding of latent motives to join the subculture along with providing insight into specificities of masculine social identities manifestation, which is relevant to my autoethnography.
Oleniacz, Laura. “More than Just Shoes: What You Need to Know About Sneakerhead Subculture.” NC State University, 2021. Web.
The article discusses the significant role of sneakers and Sneakerheads subculture in general in the community in the form of a dialog between the interviewer and assistant professor of textiles, apparel, and technology Delisia Matthews. It is revealed that the daily use of sneakers means more for people than comfort and foot transportation, based on several instances of Sneakerheads representatives’ behavioral patterns. The accessibility of sneakers and the opportunity to join the community by acquiring them are examined in detail and numbers. The importance of the subculture in terms of group identity is discussed based on the brand community concept. Matthew also claims the priority of collaboration between celebrities and brands, which produce sneakers, showing the growing popularity of culture, and how essential these luxury items are for the upper class as well as for others. Finally, the expectations of expanding the sneakers market by covering women’s needs for sneakers and building the female Sneakerheads community are outlined, which reveals the hidden potential of already large culture.
References
Gunduz, Erin. “The Intersection of Sneakerhead Culture and Racism in the United States of America.” Intersect: The Stanford Journal of Science, Technology, and Society, vol. 13, no. 2, 2020, pp. 1-26.
Luecke, Andrew. “The Ten Most Influential Subcultures of the Decade.” Highsnobiety, 2021. Web.
Matthews, Delisia, et al. “I Wear, Therefore I Am: Investigating Sneakerhead Culture, Social Identity, and Brand Preference Among Men.” Fashion and Textiles, vol. 8, no. 1, 2021, pp. 1-13.
Oleniacz, Laura. “More than Just Shoes: What You Need to Know About Sneakerhead Subculture.” NC State University, 2021. Web.