Get to know the Sellers at Sneakerness - Part 1

Sneakerness is once again upon us. On the weekend of May 27 and 28, 2023, the Kromhouthal in Amsterdam is filled with booths from Europe's biggest sneaker resellers. Besides a lot of sneakers, the two-day event has booths with streetwear and vintage items, and you can have your sneakers customised. During the day there are inspiring talks and different DJs play the best records.

Especially for the 2023 edition, Sneakerness has collaborated with Sneakerjagers, and we're highlighting some resellers and designers that will be present during the weekend. Meet some of the shops and artists you can find for sneakers and sneaker-related art during the event here.

Get to know

To introduce you to the sellers who will be present during Sneakerness, we asked them a few questions. Each reseller or designer introduces themselves and talks about how they got into the sneaker scene.

• Is this your job or a big hobby?

• Why did you become a reseller?

• What should people know about your stand at Sneakerness?

• If you could have an unlimited supply of one sneaker to resell, which sneaker would that be?

• What was your first and your last personal sneaker purchase?

• What's the highest price you've sold a sneaker for and what's the highest price you've paid for one?

• What makes Sneakerness so special?

Read below for answers from Jonas Cozone, The Kicks Don, Chickmakescustomkicks and many more.

Jonas Cozone

Among the resellers, Jonas Cozone (@jonascozone) will be present at the Sneakerness edition of 2023. The illustrator from Antwerp is known for his sneaker-inspired artwork and is also a big sneaker fan himself. You can obtain his prints via his website and they will also be present at Sneakerness.

• Job or Hobby? Illustrating is my full time job
  
• Why did you become a reseller? I first started to draw animals wearing sneakers just for fun. I posted the prints on my Instagram page, which was basically just a page for sneaker pictures. I got lots of good comments and reactions, so I kept posting my artworks. At one point, people started to ask for prints. That's how I sold my first artworks, and how it kept evolving into what I'm doing now.
  
• Tell us about your stand? I sell sneaker-related artworks in the form of prints, comics, books, and self-designed T-shirts.
  
• First and last sneaker? My first ever bought sneaker was the Nike Air Max 1 'Chili' in 2003. My most recent cop was the Air Max Tn OG 'Rainbow' retro from 2023.
  
• High and low? My highest sold sneaker was probably around €500. The most I ever paid for a sneaker was €250.
  
• What makes Sneakerness so special? Sneakerness is one of the few events that offers variety in sellers and not only the ones specialized in hyped sneakers. The event also has lots of fun side entertainment activities.

Klyntje

Klyntje (@klyntje) started writing the book 'ALFABET' in 2021, a book that explains the alphabet using Dutch hip-hop artists. With the book, Klyntje aims to teach younger children about the Dutch hip-hop scene and does so using well-known rappers such as Mula B, Poke, Brainpower and other artists who appear in the book.

The book is available through their website and Klyntje will also be offering their book at Sneakerness.

• Job or Hobby? Klyntje is a big hobby of ours, but is going to be our job and that of other people in our community someday!

• Why did you become a reseller? Hiphop and sneakers are part of a bigger culture. We believe by creating products that fit the culture, we can increase the bond between parents and their children.

• Tell us about your stand? We sell sneakers for kids and our self-developed alphabet book with Dutch hiphop artists. All artists have complied and agreed with their presence in the book. Adje, Hef, Frenna, Sticks, and many more are represented in the book.

• Your unlimited supply sneaker to resell? I don't know, we are no sneakerheads.

• First and last sneaker? I don't remember the exact first, but I do recall that my parents bought me a pair of Nikes with like 14 air holes in it. It was the shit at that time. Especially since my parents, and almost all parents in our neighbourhood, were on a tight budget. I may have the exact model, but I do remember them quite well. Also, when we went back to our village in India, I would be the only one with real Nikes on. Talking about walking on air…

• High and low? The most expensive sneaker we sold was €185. A mom bought the pair for her daughter. The daughter was very shy about it, but the smile on her face was priceless. The highest price I have paid is I think €80. I compete with a homeboy on who can buy the cheapest but still dope Nikes, that explains the price.

• What makes Sneakerness so special? Dunnow yet, first time… should be special I guess? 😉 However, we were attending another sneaker event and people kept referring to Sneakerness.

Chickmakescustomkicks

Emmy Joane, better known as Chick Makes Custom Kicks (@chickmakescustomkicks), is a well-known name within the sneaker community. Emmy customises sneakers and focuses mainly on colourful Nike Air Force 1s for young girls. Her sneaker designs are one of a kind and are all handmade. Through her webshop you can order a sneaker or place a request.

• Job or Hobby? Sneakers are my job. I officially started customising 4 years ago for fun, and now it's my full time job.

• Tell us about your stand? If you are looking for unique sneakers, designs, nice sneakerjewels and merch that nobody has, you should definitely come to check out my stand.

• Your unlimited supply sneaker to resell? If I could sell one sneaker for the rest of my life, it would be the Nike Air max 1.

• First and last sneaker? My first pair of sneakers I bought were a pair of Jordan Spizike 'Raging Bull'. My last purchase was the Air Max 1 Big Bubble.

• High and low? The highest price I've sold a sneaker for was €500. The highest price I've ever paid for a sneaker was €550.

• What makes Sneakerness so special? I think Sneakerness is special because it brings everyone in the sneaker culture together. It's more than just an event, it's a community. There is always something new, and I love to connect with new people. Besides all that, it's also a good platform for resellers, artist, customisers, and others to show their stuff.

Stitching Stories

Stitching Stories (@stitchingstories__) is a fashion label founded in 2020. The brand, run by Guillermo Ware and Carmen Luijt, stands for togetherness and connection. Stitching Stories designs clothing for women and men and uses sneakers as its major inspiration. Besides designing eye-catching garments, the duo also focuses on youth and conducts workshops on how children can make their own clothes.

You can check out the collection through Stitching Stories' webshop. Guillermo and Carmen will also be present during Sneakerness 2023.

• Job or Hobby? Stitching Stories is our job and big passion (Guillermo Ware and Carmen Luijt).

• Why did you become a reseller? We are not resellers; we are a fashion label. Stitching Stories is not just a fashion label, but a means of making your own identity and story visible to others. In this way, we make visible the differences but also the connections that exist between us people with the garments, campaigns, and collaborations, in order to create a genuine dialogue.

• Tell us about your stand? For Sneakerness, we create exclusive collections inspired by special sneakers. The first time we went, we had a collection inspired by the Skepta Air max 97. The second time we took the Air Max 1 'Atmos Elephant' as our inspiration. This time, the collection is designed around the Air Jordan 1 'Shattered Backboard'. Every sneaker has a unique story, we research these stories and create capsule fashion collections from them. We launch these only offline on Sneakerness.

• Your unlimited supply sneaker to resell? Not relevant, we are not resellers. Every shoe has its own story, and we see the beauty in collecting shoes as a real sneaker lover, instead of reselling them.

• First and last sneaker? The first ever bought sneaker, we really don't remember. Our last pick up was the Nike SB x Air Jordan 4 'Pine Green'.

• High and low? The highest amount of money we've ever paid for a sneaker is €350. We don’t sell shoes… our clothes are for sale for around €250,- for a jacket and €400,- for a whole suit.

• What makes Sneakerness so special? Guillermo was always a sneaker lover and had been going to Sneakerness for years. To buy special sneakers, but also for the fun and talking about sneakers with other collectors. Carmen also went for the last two years and enjoys the passion that everyone feels around sneakers and all the art that is made around the culture.

"Since June 2022 we have been a part of sneakerness with a booth where we sell a capsule collection inspired by sneakers with a story. Sneakerness gives us the opportunity to connect with our community and inspire each other."

Kicksarchive

Kicks Archive (@kicks.archive) is a German reseller. The shop is no stranger to sneaker lovers and has already been featured in several editions of Sneakerness. Kicks Archive focuses mainly on hyped releases and has a wide range of sneakers from brands such as Nike, adidas, New Balance and many more. In addition, you can also score vintage colorways of models like the Dunk, Jordan silhouettes and many more at Kicks Archive.

You can check out the collection via the webshop, or take a look at their booth during Sneakerness.

• Job or Hobby? It’s definitely both for me, a hobby and a job. Sneaker reselling is a perfect blend of my work and my deep passion.

• Why did you become a reseller? As I mentioned, collecting sneakers is a significant hobby of mine, and I absolutely love getting my hands on new different pairs every week. The feeling of unboxing a new pair that I've never had before is truly special and exhilarating.

• Tell us about your stand? People should definitely have a look for older and more unique pairs at this edition of Sneakerness. While new releases are cool, there's something truly special about a pair that's 20 years old and might never be found on the streets again. Unfortunately, the majority of visitors seem to be mainly interested in the newer releases like Nike Dunks, Jordan 4's, and Jordan 1's. However, we're considering showcasing some older and rare pairs this time, so it's definitely worth checking us out!

• Your unlimited supply sneaker to resell? If we had an unlimited supply of one sneaker to resell, it would undoubtedly be the Jordan 4. The iconic sneaker has gained immense popularity and is highly sought-after in the current market. Its timeless design and cultural significance make it a valuable addition to any sneaker collection.

• First and last sneaker? My first ever-bought sneaker was the Nike Air Jordan 4 'White Cement' back in 2016 when there were still campouts. And my most recent personal purchase was the Nike Air Jordan 4 'Military Blue' from 2012 – adding another classic to my personal collection.

• High and low? We've had memorable transactions in our sneaker reselling journey. The Stüssy x Nike SB Dunk Low 'Cherry' stands out as both the highest-priced sneaker we sold and the most expensive one we bought. This exclusive pair fetched an impressive €2800, making it a truly remarkable investment. What's intriguing, is that the seller obtained them for a mere €50 back in 2004 with an employee discount, highlighting the incredible value that can be found in the sneaker market.

• What makes Sneakerness so special? Sneakerness is a remarkable event that brings together sneaker enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds. It's a unique combination of passion, knowledge, collaboration, and community engagement. Each time you attend Sneakerness, you have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals, sharing stories and building friendships that extend beyond the love for sneakers. Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere and experience the essence of the sneaker culture.

Leroydesign

Kelly Leroy, better known as 'Leroydesign', (@leroydesignfordreamers) is a Belgian artist and customises sneakers. After she was asked by a friend to paint an Air Jordan 1 Mid, things took off. In the year 2010, she started customising sneaker models like the Air Force 1, Air Max 90 and many more. She has been at Sneakerness several times and will be there again this year.

On Leroydesign's website, you can find Kelly's designs and request a sneaker design.

• Job or Hobby? Leroydesign is my full-time job.

• Why did you become a reseller? I sell my own sneakers because I want to give people the opportunity to collect sneakers at a better price than on Restocks at StockX.

• Tell us about your stand? I want to be known as a “custom shop”, because I can customise sneakers. I also customise clothes, also with Angelus paint or by design. At Leroydesign, we offer restoration and we give workshops in our shop every Wednesday and Saturday. You can find this information at my stand, and you can buy custom sneakers and accessories like sneaker jewellery and accessories that match every outfit.

• Your unlimited supply sneaker to resell? An unlimited supply of Chunky Dunky's 🙂

• First and last sneaker? The first sneaker I ever bought, was the Nike Dunk 'Chicago'. My last bought pair was the Billie Eilish x Nike collab.

• High and low? The most expensive sneaker I ever sold, was a Travis Scott custom with a lot of details. This one sold for €1000. My most expensive sneaker ever was the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4. I paid €350 for them.

• What makes Sneakerness so special? Sneakerness is special for me because it feels like coming home. Everyone with the same ambition and interests is at one place 🙂

T.kicks.worldwide

T.kicks.worldwide (@t.kicks.worldwide) is a Dutch sneaker reseller. What started as a hobby, later grew into a full-time job. The shop focuses mainly on Air Max models like the Air Max 1, Air Max 95, Air Max 90 and many more. Besides selling sneakers, you can also get your sneakers cleaned at T.Kicks.Worldwide.

• Job or Hobby? Sneakers are a big-time hobby. I love the search, the clean, and the selling part. In the meantime, I also study Interior Architect.

• Why did you become a reseller? I hate to call myself a reseller, but I started a little before 2019. I used to be a bartender, but had to move and switch jobs. I wanted to do something that made a change. So I started buying beaters and started to clean them up. At first, this was a project just for me. It was only later I figured I could do this for a little extra money.

• Tell us about your stand? I designed and made my stand at Sneakerness myself. It's made from recycled wood, which matches the DNA of my business. I designed the stand to make the shoes look good and new and catch the eyes of visitors. Because of the black backboards, the shoes seem to float.

• Your unlimited supply sneaker to resell? The Nike Air Max 1 of course. This is already my main sneaker.

• First and last sneaker? My first pair of Air Max was the Air Max 1 Essential 'Flint Silver'. I still own and wear them. My last bought sneaker is the Nike Air Max 1 'Summit White Safari'.

• High and low? The highest price I sold a sneaker for, is not that high actually, since I like to keep my prices fair. This would be €450 for my own Air Max 1 OG 'Crepe Hemp' from 2004. The most I personally paid for a sneaker is €475 for a pair of Air Max 1 'Denham'.

• What makes Sneakerness so special? Sneakerness is special because it is so much more than just a sneaker event. It is a whole happening. People come there to see and be seen. It's like a family, you see the same people every time. Make some talks, make friends. It also helps that it is a two-day event.

These are just some of the sellers who will be at Sneakerness - for even more booths, check out part 2 of our seller overview!

Keep an eye on our news page for updates surrounding the event. Tickets are still available for the event on Saturday, May 27 and Sunday, May 28, 2023. Click the button below and score your tickets.