Sneaker Con began in 2009 as a passion-driven environment for the bustling buy/sell/trade market, firmly planting its legs on the concrete foundation of the sneaker community. For a decade, it has traveled the world to unify like-minded footwear fanatics as well as those just beginning to dabble in this fashion-forward hobby; during that time life-time friendships were made, bonds were formed across oceans, and sneakers exchanged hands nearly a million times. The global event is now embarking on a new phase, building upon the pure marketplace with new dimensions of experience that include collaborative footwear launches with brands, speaker panels with today’s most influential names in the game, limited edition merchandise, and much more.
This past weekend, Shanghai played host for this “Sneaker Con 2.0” of sorts at the West Bund Art Center. It filled up the venue’s three massive structures, offering devoted sneaker enthusiasts a once-in-a-lifetime experience with full exposure to the fast moving industry and its cultural surroundings. Throughout the weekend, Sneaker Con invited notable names such as Aleali May, Bai Jing Ting, Nick The Real, and Jeff Staple, while prolific pro-athletes such as Stephon Marbury and Li Na were also on hand to speak directly to their fans. Check below for a quick recap of the events and head to Sneaker Con on Instagram to see where they’re setting up shop next.