I want to tell you about Sneakerheads as fans and sneaker fandom as participatory culture
As for sneakerheads sneaker collecting is about both collecting knowledge about the subject of sneakers and collecting sneakers themselves
Sneaker collectors and enthusiasts participate in both off-line and online activities that can be considered as fan practices. One example is off-line events like Sneakercon in North America, Sneakerness in Europe, and Faces & Laces in Russia, where people can exhibit their collections, sell or exchange sneakers, buy and sell fan-oriented goods, and attend public talks with designers or collectors. Online examples of fan practices in sneaker communities other than those mentioned in earlier sections of this paper include unboxing videos (when fans open boxes of sneakers while commenting on their impressions of the sneakers and related accessories) or video reviews of new sneakers.
