Since Frederick McCullough II, senior, was in middle school, he yearned to have one thing: a diverse shoe collection.

“I didn’t like looking at a whole bunch of the same shoes on the shelf,” McCullough II said. 

Once he entered high school and began to work at Shoe MGK, McCullough II began to buy shoes more frequently and eventually started to collect them as a hobby. His job also allowed him to help people who are interested in finding the latest pairs of shoes.

“I started getting three to four pairs of different types of Jordans, Vans, Air Forces, and a lot of other things,” McCullough II said.

McCullough II describes himself as a sneakerhead, a person who regularly collects and trades different types of shoes.

Sneakerheads gained prominence in the ‘70s and ‘80s as shoes endorsed by hip-hop groups and athletes became increasingly popular. As the years progressed, collecting shoes became its own subculture and many people across different communities began to participate. 

Gwenith Hoffman, junior, primarily collects popular shoes that are endorsed by celebrities.

“Just seeing rappers and celebrities wear nice shoes gets me into it,” Hoffman said.

While many sneakerheads tend to trade their collected shoes for money, Hoffman said she mostly does it to pass her free time.

“There’s some that have resale value, but I honestly do it for fun,” Hoffman said.

Jackson Warden, junior, has collected 15 different pairs of shoes, primarily a variety of Air Jordans. However, Warden said he rarely picks shoes based on what happens to be trending at the time.

“Just get the shoes that you like, not because of what other people say,” Warden said.

Warden says it allows him to diversify his outfit based on where he is going.

“I just like the feeling of pulling up to a place with a pair that matches the whole outfit really well,” Warden said. “It’s always nice when they turn people’s heads.”

However, collecting shoes means something different to Harsh Bains, senior, who uses a wheelchair to move around. Bains began partaking in the culture over the summer as a hobby, and said he has always been interested in collecting shoes despite not using them.

“Because I don’t use them that much, their longevity is much longer than they would be for someone who actually uses them on a regular basis,” Bains said.

Bains said he believes some of his shoes could also have good resale value.

“Because I collect them but don’t really use them, I can just keep them tucked away until someone needs them,” Bains said.

Bains’s favorite brands to buy are Converses, specifically ones endorsed by his favorite artist, Tyler, the Creator. He also enjoys collecting New Balances.

McCullough II said that his favorite part of being a sneakerhead is noticing how everyone has their own style.

“No sneakerhead will have the exact same pairs,” McCullough II said. “If you saw my collection, you’d see that mine are different from other people’s.”

This story was originally published on Marquette Messenger on October 31, 2023.