Dinis Guarda reviews the ‘Sneakers: Over 300 Classics From Rare Vintage To The Latest Kicks’, a book by Neal Heard, in the latest episode of Booksabc. The book highlights 300 vintage and rare collections from different brands, exploring the stories behind them and presenting some shoe care and maintenance facts. Booksabc is a series under the flagship of Dinis Guarda YouTube channel and powered by openbusinesscouncil.org and citiesabc.com.
Sneakers, a cultural phenomenon of the modern world, are transcending the boundaries of mere utility to become a symbol of style, individuality, and self-expression. The global sneakers market has experienced exponential growth, reflecting a dynamic blend of innovation, design, and consumer demand. As indicated by Grand View Research, the market’s value reached a staggering USD 78.59 billion in 2021, and experts predict a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.2% from 2022 to 2030.
Neal Heard, an acclaimed author and footwear aficionado, delves into this captivating universe with his book ‘Sneakers: Over 300 Classics From Rare Vintage To The Latest Kicks’. Dinis Guarda said:
“For people who are not familiar with its history, there’s an entire tribe of sneakers, and the book highlights some of the rare collectibles. There’s an entire industry of people, both digital and offline, buying collectives of sneakers. We’re talking right now about the big businesses worldwide, which is actually increasing as we speak.”
Published by Welbeck, this comprehensive and visually striking edition provides a fascinating journey through the history, stories, and significance of over 300 iconic shoes, catering to both sneaker enthusiasts and fashion aficionados alike.
Sneakers: An overview of the market dynamics
With the proliferation of online platforms, the allure of fashionable and branded sneakers across age groups, and a rise in disposable income has increased the market demand of sneakers since they were first introduced in the 19th century by Wait Webster. Sneakers are no longer confined to athletic pursuits; they have seamlessly integrated themselves into the realms of lifestyle and culture.
The sneakers market is a dynamic arena driven by key companies that are strategically expanding their global reach to cater to the surging demand for these fashionable footwear choices. With an eye on innovation, these market leaders are consistently introducing fresh designs through ongoing development efforts, thereby amplifying the growth trajectory of the industry.
“The Sneakers’ business is a multi-billion dollar industry right now, converging into platforms, tribes, ecosystems, communities of collectors, and now increasingly into a community of NFTs and immersive experiences, especially after a lot of drops from all the biggest brands like Adidas and Nike and premium Haute Couture brands like Prada“, said Dinis.
Sneakers: A view from Neal Heard’s lens
With a prior background in the footwear and fashion industry, Neal presents a rich tapestry of history, style, and cultural relevance, underscoring the enduring impact of sneakers on the modern world. Heard’s book delves beyond the surface appeal of sneakers, offering readers insights into the stories behind each of the iconic pairs.
In particular, the book highlights the different tribes of sneakers, Hall of Fame (of sneakers), the big and other players, fashion fusion, back to the future, low 5 versus high five, and collecting sneakers. Dinis also highlighted that the book talks about classics like the Tom Smith collection by Adidas to more advanced ones like Converse, Asics, Onitsuka, Tiger, and Puma, to name a few.
“I’m sure everyone, especially if you are more dynamic, would like to explore the book. It is fantastic. It’s a book to watch (the pictures) as much as to read. It’s a great oxygen for you to understand our pop culture and fashion lifestyle culture and business“, he concluded.
With fashion being a reflection of societal trends, the sneaker’s evolution mirrors changing tastes, preferences, and even values. The inclusion of vintage classics alongside the latest designs paints a vivid picture of how sneakers have become a canvas for creativity, innovation, and cultural expression.
The new episode is live now on Dinis Guarda YouTube Channel.
About Neal Heard
Neal Heard is a sneaker enthusiast and vintage dealer who has been collecting and dealing since the early 90s. He now owns his own fashion label, Lover’s F.C. and has been the director of vintage clothing firm and cult clothing brand White Riot.
In 2017, he published his second book The Football Shirts Book: The Connoisseur’s Guide, firmly establishing him as an authority on athleisure wear.
About Dinis Guarda
Dinis Guarda is a founder, author, influencer, entrepreneur, investor, futurist, and global thought leader in 4IR, AI, Fintech, digital transformation and Blockchain. Dinis Guarda is the founder of numerous companies: including, but not limited to, intelligenthq, citiesabc, and openbusinesscouncil. With decades of experience in international business, and holding executive-level positions within digital transformation, Dinis has expertise in new tech, cryptocurrencies, regulation, compliance, and global legal processes. You can find and follow Dinis on a variety of social media platforms.
Dinis Guarda has earned his place as one of the top influencers to follow this year thanks in part to his Dinis Guarda Youtube Podcast Thought Leadership series. This is a fast-growing show with more than 99,9k followers and 12,3 million views to date, having interviewed more than 200 personalities including David Hanson, Ben Goertzel and top government officials. His entire social media ecosystem reaches a global audience of more than 12 million engagements a month. Dinis is followed by almost 50,000 people on LinkedIn, as well as, over 100,000 on Twitter, and 641,000 on Instagram.
About Booksabc
BooksABC, a series under the flagship of Dinis Guarda Youtube channel, where he reviews meaningful books that are changing the way we understand technology and society as a whole. Powered by openbusinesscouncil.org and citiesabc.com, the series features books that have the power to change the world and make it a better and sustainable place to live. Dinis Guarda is an avid reader and writer and believes books are there to inspire and teach us.
“Relax, get great books, enjoy, refresh your mind, focus on your business, your experiences, self-development, and keep reading”, says Dinis.
Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.
