Women in Sneakers: Breaking Barriers, One Footstep at a Time

by Chris Harewood

Picture a “Sneakerhead” in your mind, then close your eyes. What did you see? I’d be willing to bet money it was probably a male, likely in their mid 20s-earlyy 30s, draped from head to toe in streetwear. Was I close?

Collecting sneakers has always been looked at as a boy’s hobby. It makes sense. Some of the most popular sneakers of all time, from the SB Dunk to the Air Jordan series, were made with the male-dominated activities in mind such as basketball and skateboarding.

Spokespeople and endorsers for these products are usually men as well: Paul Rodriguez, Ken Griffey Jr., Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and, of course, Michael Jordan just to name a few. However you want to slice it, the lazy narrative of sneaker collecting being a “dude hobby” is pervasive.

…and like most lazy narratives, it’s not based in reality. Statistics show in 2019, women’s sneaker sales accounted for 52% of total sales for that year. Perhaps that’s why the controversial release of the Off White x Air Jordan 4 shouldn’t have been so surprising.

A little history lesson might be necessary; when images of the “Off White 4” leaked onto the net, sneakerheads world wide were excited for the shot to get their hands on a pair. To the surprise of many, the sneaker was released as a “Women’s Exclusive.” This ultimately ended up not being big deal, as the shoe released in extended sizes. Men and women alike all struggled to nab the rare and limited shoe, but the struggle definitely had little to do with the size of their foot.  

This ended up being a sign of things to come, however, as many sneakers begun releasing as a genuine women’s exclusives after this. A women’s exclusive means that the shoe only went up to a Women’s  size 12, which translates to a Men’s 10.5. If your shoe size is any bigger than that, you cannot fit the shoe.

As one could predict, this ticked a lot of men off, but both Nike and Jordan Brand have remained steadfast in their dedication to giving women some absolutely excellent women’s exclusives. A few that come to mind are the A Ma Manière Jordan 3, Aleali May Jordan 6, the reverse Laney Jordan 1, and the Iridescent Nike Dunk.

The reasons for this shift is undoubtedly rooted in money. After all, pushing hard for women’s inclusion in major sneaker releases will lead to more women being interested in buying them. Still, it’s pretty cool. Women sneakerheads have always been around, from a super popular one like Sherlina Nym, or the ol’ girl around the way type we all have in our life.

To add much needed woman’s touch to the topic, I linked up with few women sneakerheads to ask about their favorite sneakers, their thoughts on the state of sneaker culture, and more.

Dhaima

Favorite shoe: Air Jordan 1 Low x Travis Scott x Fragment

Other shoes owned: Off White Jordan 4, Off White Jordan 1 NRG, Air Max 270 React

Chris: So, why the low fragment?

Dhaima: It’s beautiful! I love the hits of cream. I put pink laces in mine. I know people are iffy on lows, but I think they’re perfect for the summer.

C: How’d your love for sneakers start?

D: When I was in high school, I was gifted a pair of black and pink converses with my name written on them. I’ve been hooked ever since. I still work out in those shoes 15 years later. LOL.

C: How do you feel about the current state of sneakers?

D: Definitely getting a little boring, but there’s still some gems here and there. I’m really feeling the Vomero 5 right now. That’s my jam.

C: How do you feel about popular brands like Nike and Jordan having more women’s exclusive colorways than ever before?

D: It’s about time! Ladies taking over sneakers like we’re doing with hip hop!

Elly

Favorite shoe: Balmain Unicorn

Other shoes owned: Vans Sk8-Hi “Sailor Moon)

Chris: I didn’t see the Balmain pick coming, honestly. It’s such a wild looking shoe.

Elly: It reminds me of a space ship. It’s so radically different than anything else I’ve seen. I love stuff like that. It’s all about making a statement.

C: Tell me a bit about your love for Sailor Moon.

E: My absolute favorite. The Vans collaboration was fire. I’m a sucker for anything Sailor Moon. As a huge Final Fantasy fan, I know how uninspired licensed collaborations can be, but I think Vans really nailed it with the Sailor Moon collab.

C: How do you feel about the current state of sneakers?

E: I do like that there’s more exclusive stuff for women, and they look good! It took them long enough, but they finally realize that most women like the same dope sneakers that men do. Except me, since I like space ships : )

Lexus

Favorite shoe: Air Jordan 3 “Rust Pink”

Other shoes owned: Dunk Low “Lime Ice”, Air Jordan 1 “Neutral Gray”

Chris: The Rust Pink 3 was super underrated. I have that pair myself.

L: I love them. It has the same color blocking as the Aleali May 6, and I missed out on those. I actually like these better though.

C: What is your favorite woman’s collaboration?

L: I would have to say the Melody Ehsani Jordan 1 Mid from the “Fearless” collection that dropped a few years ago. The details were crazy on that.

C: How do you feel about the current state of sneakers?

L: The women’s releases have definitely been much better than in the past. The fact Jordan really thought all women wanted sneakers that had girly color blocking because its “feminine” is crazy. Sir, we want Bred 4s and SB Dunks just as much as am an does.

C: If you could have one sneaker that you missed out on, what would it be?

L: That’s easy. The Off White Chicago!

Roudayna

Favorite shoe: Air Jordan 1 High “Starfish”

Other shoes owned: Air Jordan 1 “Hyper Royal”, Off White Jordan 4, Balenciaga Speed Trainer

Chris: I hear you love the Jordan 1.

Roudayna: My favorite growing up was actually the Jordan 3, but now it’s definitely the one. I feel they’re so versatile. I can dress them up or down.

C: How’d your love for sneakers start?

R: Growing up, buying expensive sneakers wasn’t possible, so once I got my first job at 16, it was one of the first things I wanted to get. I love incorporating sneakers into my love for fashion and putting outfits together.

C: How do you feel about the current state of sneakers?

R: I feel sneaker culture started as a way to express creativity and self-identity, but I think it now has become more about hype and only wearing the most popular sneaker seen on the hottest celebrity.

C: How do you feel about popular brands like Nike and Jordan having more women’s exclusive colorways than ever before?

R: I love it! I just bought a pair of Blush Pink 1s, and I don’t ever remember having so many options when I first got into kicks. I specifically remember most of my sneakers being blue, black, or white, but the color diversity is really awesome now compared to then. A lot of this stuff is sitting on shelve now, too, which is great for my pockets!

Major thanks to Dhaima, Elly, Lexus, and Roudayna for taking the time to chat about their love of sneakers with me.