The sneaker community has gone through plenty of ups and downs this year alone. From legal battles between StockX and Nike to Zadeh Kicks declaring bankruptcy to most recently Adidas dropping Yeezy and Kanye West, this year has been nothing short of eventful. Even though the sneaker market is down, like the overall economy, there are still bright spots to look forward to in the upcoming year. The sneaker outlook for 2023 is sure to include countless shifting tides.
Nobody can predict the future of sneakers, but trends give an educated guess that allows sneaker lovers everywhere to analyze how things will be in the near future. The Jordan 1 High saw its peak in terms of popularity within the past few years; the trend has came to a screeching halt earlier this year. Nike Dunks have also been a trend that has been revived since its early 2000s days.
The sneaker outlook for the year ahead should hold a lot of answers particularly concerning online releases. There has been a heavy favorite to online shopping even before the pandemic started; the days of first come first serve with lines out the door are almost extinct. Every now and then sneaker drop lines may pop up, but it is nowhere near as it was before 2020. Bots have taken a hit as well since the overall value of limited shoes have gone down on secondary market buy/sell apps. Proxies have gone up in price too and are often only worth purchasing if someone has a top bot which is harder to come by in today’s age.
Drifts and Shifts
Trends across sneakers have changed countless times over the past few years. High tops to low tops to slides have all been popular in numerous aspects. New Balance has seen a surge in popularity thanks to their anticipated collaborations with creatives like Joe Freshgoods, Teddy Santis, and Salehe Bembury.
Partnerships across various brands have proved to produce some of the most sought after sneakers throughout the past few decades. Everyone knows the household names. Lately, there has been an increase in smaller labels who may have previously flown under the radar. Collaborations allow for more creativity and artists/creatives to show their unique twist on recognizable silhouettes. In the sneaker outlook for next year, partnerships between sneaker powerhouses and creatives show no sign of slowing down anytime soon .
The Jordan High 1s and the Nike Dunks have seen their peaks and some noticeable dips as of recently. Who knows what the next hot model will be for the brand with the check. Air Maxes have seen a resurgence lately with some noticeable collaborations with Cactus Jack. The Air Max 1 and 90 are some of the most popular models in the line and should be front runners for a potential spike in sales and popularity.
Brand Popularity
Across the sneaker industry, everyone knows Nike has been and will be number one for years to come. With Kanye’s departure within Adidas, the number two spot is up for taking. New Balance is a clear favorite to secure a spot among the top footwear brands around the world. Puma has a few surges every now and then with their basketball shoes. However, the German founded brand still doesn’t have the same appeal in their casual footwear line.
Smaller brands like SIA and Mache have seen an increase in popularity within the past few years. Nike has been exposed for countless quality control issues. People who take their business to independent labels do not have to worry about the level of quality. There is a prevalent boutique-like experience when dealing with well-crafted sneakers by the likes of Mache, SIA and The Shoe Surgeon.
Designer brands have focused more attention to sneakers and are not shy about crossing into the streetwear and casual footwear industries as well. Gucci’s collaborations with Adidas and Palace Skateboards show the gap between designer and casual wear/streetwear is not always far apart. Of course when fashion houses work with other brands, the prices will often reflect that of the higher end of the spectrum.
The highly anticipated Louis Vuitton Nike Air Force 1 Lows by Virgil Abloh did not disappoint. Less than a year after Abloh’s sudden death, Nike teamed up with the European fashion house to honor the late designer. The release was heard all of the world. Anyone who is somewhat interested in high-end fashion, sneakers, or streetwear knew about one of the most hyped and prepared for sneaker releases over the past five years.
Online Releases
One of the most important aspects for next year’s sneaker outlook is security and privacy. Bot protection will never escape conversations held around the world. More sites have proved to be showing at least some effort. Quizzes and captchas to filter out bots have sometimes given manual users a better chance. However, numerous sites still implement the same security measures. There will never be a definite solution for either side in this matter.
People will always complain about the lack of bot protection for almost every release. Bots have decreased in overall efficiency. Proxies have gone up noticeably and bot rentals have gone down exponentially. Not many people are looking to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on a setup before getting an attempt to checkout a single pair. The rise of the sneaker resell market rose astronomically over the past five years. Everyone and their mother could get a few pairs here and there if they put just a little time and effort. Now, the input is rarely worth the output unless someone has an expensive setup and a reliable proxy/internet provider.
Hyped online releases significantly decrease the odds significantly for manual users. However, the clearest advantage is the level of accessibility when products are available in a reasonable time frame. When kicks are sitting online and not selling out instantly, the ability to checkout a pair on your phone while being virtually anywhere in the world is extremely valuable.
Online sneaker shopping has taken over social media recently. Sneaker brand account pages have been known to drop shoes randomly on Instagram to surprise people from time to time. Sometimes people have trouble checking out on sites with poor traffic management. Social media shops are typically quick, easy to navigate, and reliable.
Promoting Individuality
Over the past five or so years, the sneaker game has opened its doors to more labels. A select number of brands ran the sneaker world over the past few decades. Underground and smaller labels are more accepted now than ever throughout the history of sneakers. The rise in creatives pushing their own sneakers has blossomed recently. Creatives finessed loopholes to come up with their own knock-off versions of Air Force Ones and Jordan 1 Highs in the recent past. Nike has put an abrupt end to dealing with bootleg sneakers with a federal trademark protection of the Air Jordan 1 that became official June 2021.
To mass produce quality sneakers requires enormous overhead and warehouse space. The rise of independent labels like Mache and SIA have shown that quality proves to be essential for smaller creatives. Labels who produce a limited run or a preorder allow for a manageable production phase; they don’t need to front the exorbitant costs like Nike and Adidas do on the regular. Focusing on a niche market lets creatives hone in on their unique specialties.
The Shoe Surgeon customizes sneakers with premium materials. He works on well known sneakers like Air Jordans, Yeezys, and designer brands like Louis Vuitton and Dior. Most of his pairs release in limited runs with four to five figure price tags. Independent sneaker labels build an extremely loyal following to appeal to a certain crowd. They create a personalized touch that cannot be felt with the footwear giants. The sneaker outlook for 2023 should continue to work in favor of independent labels who have extremely loyal customers
Prospective Sneaker Outlook
In today’s age, different sneaker brands are more accepted by those who are passionate about them and casual wearers alike. Back in the day, the freshest and coolest sneakers were always Nike or Jordan. Now, labels like New Balance have become more mainstream and pushed the narrative in favor of brands outside of Nike and Adidas. The hottest kicks of the year are often still Nikes or Jordans and sometimes Adidas sneakers. Other brands like NB, Puma, and Asics all have shown promising and effective releases to appeal to a wider audience. It is more acceptable than ever to wear other brands besides the largest in the footwear industry.
Sneakers have stories to tell.
Everyone who loves sneakers know how they represent more than just the physical shoes. There are often stories and backgrounds behind the materialistic aspect of sneakers; people who go crazy about sneakers often relate more to the deeper meaning and what a pair of shoes represents than how the shoe looks on the outside.
Brands outside of Nike and Adidas should continue to see an increase in popularity. Also, independent designers will look to find new ways to adapt to Nike’s copyright and trademark protections that put countless creatives out of business. Collaborations will no doubt boast some of the best sneakers of the year. Next year will determine how the rest of the decade will play out in the sneaker world. Will Nike separate itself more from its competitors or will other contenders arise?
Listen to the stories to figure out why sneakers are more than just a pair of shoes. The 2023 sneaker outlook should be interesting to see how things play out by this time next year.