Are Dunks still hyped?

If you thought sneaker releases were going to slow down any time soon, our Q1 2021 report is here to prove otherwise. As we do every quarter, Highsnobiety teamed up with the data wizards at StockX to tell the biggest stories in footwear.

READ OUR FULL Q1 SNEAKER REPORT

● NIKE CAME OUT SWINGING

If it felt like Nike was moving at warp speed and dropping a mind-boggling number of sneakers in Q1, it’s because it was. Together, Nike and Jordan Brand released over 150 kicks that landed on StockX. Reebok, adidas, and New Balance together released barely over 50 in the same time span. This strategy resulted in Nike’s market share on StockX increasing by 5% compared to Q4 2020. Much of this was thanks to the Dunk, but that could end soon.

BROWSE NIKE ON HIGHSNOBIETY SHOP

● IS DUNK FATIGUE SETTING IN?

There's no easy answer, because it's complicated. If your definition of hype is based on resell value, then the Dunk is still relatively hyped in 2021, selling for over two times retail. But if you compare the Dunk to itself, you’ll notice steadily falling prices.

“The number of Dunk releases accelerated while average prices fell,” says StockX chief economist Jesse Einhorn. “If Nike continues to ramp up supply, the law of resale economics dictates that prices are bound to fall further."

● DIVERSIFICATION IS KEY FOR ADIDAS

On the flip side, adidas’ distribution of hyped releases tells a contrasting story. It doesn't have a guaranteed sell-out like the Dunk, but it was able to diversify its resell hits better than Nike.

“From the ZX and Forum, to the Yeezy 450, 700, and Foam Runner, adidas managed to release over 10 different models with significant price premiums," says StockX chief economist Jesse Einhorn.

BROWSE ADIDAS ON HIGHSNOBIETY SHOP

● TRADING CARDS VS SNEAKERS: THE CROSS-BUYER PHENOMENON

The overlap between trading cards and sneakers is clear: both are driven by a heavy dose of nostalgia mixed with hype. To demonstrate this, we identified three main card types — Pokémon, NBA, and football — and looked at which sneakers are favored by buyers of each type of card. While not a concrete pattern, it helps illustrate the budding cross-over between the two genres and speaks to how the culture of reselling has no borders. As long as hype and nostalgia exist, you have a recipe for success.

● SNACKABLES

READ OUR FULL Q1 SNEAKER REPORT

● WHILE YOU'RE HERE, WE'VE GOT OUR OWN SNEAKER TO SHARE

DON'T MISS OUR UPCOMING COLLAB; SIGN UP FOR SHOP UPDATES

You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website: Gorgeous. You can unsubscribe from this list or update your subscription preferences.

© 2021 Highsnobiety,

Highsnobiety

Genthiner Str. 32-34

Berlin 10785

Germany

Add us to your address book