Lately, there’s been a lot of chatter in sneaker circles about leaks. Some say it's ruining the culture, and some say it’s all in the game. The fact is, leaking early pics of unreleased shoes is just as old as sneaker culture itself.
While leaks are nothing new there has been a huge wave of newcomer “leakers” on Twitter and Instagram that are basically just resharing what actual leakers post. This influx in clout chasers has led to virtually nothing being kept a secret anymore. Just recently Nike took to Instagram to express their displeasure with the most notable early pair leaker @masterchefian of Private Selection.
On the contrary, Chris Gibbs of Union seemed to welcome early leaks of his upcoming Air Jordan 1 collab when he was quoted as saying “Isn’t half the fun around any sneaker launch tethered to the hun anyway?... I can’t take that away from us, I won’t!”
As you can see, two dramatically different sentiments from two of the biggest names in the sneaker world. Suffice it to say, there’s no way to stop leaks. As long as the human element is involved there’s going to be leaks. Real people touch the shoes at every step in the process from design, to production, to shipping, to stores receiving their pairs. Somewhere along that line someone will snap a pic and either share it themselves or offer it up to the highest bidder.
Unless manufacturers like Nike can reinvent the entire process, nothing is going to change. Perhaps nothing needs to change. Maybe it’s good for sneakers as it helps them build early hype. Maybe it's bad because the brands don't have the chance to reveal their creations on their terms and tell their story. Regardless of where you stand on the issue you have to acknowledge that both sides hold merit, and nothing is going to change.
Images via @ComplexSneakers & @masterchefian