So...lemme get this straight…Nike makes a shoe...significantly below luxury quality. But it’s a collab. They produce this shoe in really low amounts so resale jumps immediately to out-of-reach levels.

So...lemme get this straight…Nike makes a shoe...significantly below luxury quality. But it’s a collab. They produce this shoe in really low amounts so resale jumps immediately to out-of-reach levels. Like, you could buy a reasonably reliable Honda Civic for the price of this pair of shoes.

The fake manufacturers (plural) come out with their version of the shoe...and they drop a 99% perfect pair. They sell it for the price of a reasonably nice dinner (~$150).

Over the coming year, the fake manufacturers get closer and closer to a perfect 1-to-1. All the while IMPROVING on the craftsmanship and the quality. This results in a pair of shoes that look noticeably better than the original and are built to last.

At this point...if you care…you can buy:
1. A *supposed* authentic pair of shoes that has subpar quality for $4k (*authenticated by some no-name-not-having-to-really-have-to-take-responsibility-for-incorrect decisions)
2. A higher quality *unauthorized* (or fake, or illegal, or whatever the hell you want to call them) recreation for $140 + a pretty reliable Honda Civic.

So...I guess...you gotta ask yourself...are you a sneaker wearer, collector, or investor?

If an investor - I’m doing my best to make sure I buy authentic product. Even though I think that’s difficult given the current landscape. It’d be pretty difficult to unload anything that proves to be fake.

If I’m a collector - still, I’m doing my best to make sure I buy authentic product. But if it’s for myself and not about an eventual sale - should I care?

But if I’m a wearer - I really struggle to find where the approval of a reseller middleman is worth a Honda Civic…

Ugly truth.