More than a thousand people queue for Yeezy Boost 350 (Photo : Ryan Ramirez)
SINGAPORE -- More than a thousand people queued up outside of the Bugis+ shopping mall yesterday, August 22, with each "sneakerhead" hoping to get the chance to score a pair of limited edition Kanye West trainers.
The Adidas trainers are so rare that only 52 pairs were available for sale to the enormous crowd of 1,058 hopefuls on a balloting system set up by Adidas Original Bugis+. If you were lucky enough to draw a winning ballot, you'd be given the opportunity to purchase just one pair.
A single pair of Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 Pirate Black set each patron back by S$329.
Sneakerhead culture has grown immensely in recent years, with some passionate shoe collectors sometimes queueing for days on end, just to be the first to cop a pair of ultra-rare sneakers. Some of them camp outside of stores, where they eat, sleep and talk sneakers until shop doors open.
"One week," said Jovin Inocencion, one of the people who queued up beginning Friday night. Inocencion was referring to how long someone has ever queued up to simply buy a pair of shoes.
The release of the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 in Singapore may not be as extreme, but with stories of people queueing for a week just to part ways with their hard-earned cash, is mind-boggling.
With a simultaneous worldwide release, some patrons definitely went home with smiles on their faces, while some with faces of exhaustion.
Previously with Nike, Kanye West inked a deal with Adidas in 2013, with the very first pair of his Adidas Yeezy Boosts selling out in just 10 minutes.
With millions of people dying to cop a pair of his sneakers, Kim Kardashian's latest husband has it made.
The queue at Bugis+ specifically started last Friday and wrapped up Saturday night. By that time, all 52 pairs had gone home with their respective buyers.
"To be one of the lucky few to cop a pair of rare sneaks, there's an amazing feeling to be had in that, there's a rush," said Inocencion. "Lining up is never boring either. Whenever me and my friends line up for a pair of shoes, we hang out all the way to the front of the line."
"It's a great way to spend your weekend, with the stories and the camaraderie."
It's apparently also a great way to make a profit too. With the actual resale value of the shoe said to go for as high as a staggering S1,800, the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350's are some of the most expensive shoes on the market.
In fact, some of those who braved the line are pure "resellers" -- those who have no intention of rocking the pair of shoes and with every intention of selling them as fast as they can.
"This is the sneaker game nowadays. It's come to this, unfortunately," said Inocencion.
"I think I'm going to hang onto this one for a while," he added, when asked whether or not he was going to sell his pair. "I'll leave it up in my room, do some photoshoots with it, admire it. Then when the right buyer comes along and gives a good offer, I'll consider selling it, but then again, maybe not."
After a gruelling few hours of queueing, it's no surprise that Inocencion is one the fence when it comes to letting go of his hard-earned cop.
