How the Southeast Asian Sneaker Community Fights Fakes

Counterfeit sneakers have made their way to the market in covert and overt ways, making it a challenge to put a stop to their entry or enforce their exit at events like sneaker conventions. We speak to various people in the sneaker community to find out how they fight fakes.

Sneaker conventions are a sneakerhead’s wet dream, as brands bring in their newest and slickest kicks, giving the sneaker community the opportunity to gawk and cop. Collectors are also on hand to sell and trade some of their prized possessions and at the same time, sneak a peek into what others have.

Sadly, amid the frenzy at sneaker conventions, fake goods inadvertently slip through the cracks and make their way to the vendor booths. Some of these counterfeits are so identical to the real McCoy that only the most discerning sneakerhead might sense something is amiss. Granted, fake sneakers are bad for everyone involved, but who ought to shoulder the responsibility?

To answer this question, we ran a poll online asking our readers: “Fakes sold at sneaker conventions. Who takes the blame?” Beyond that, we also spoke to people like Antonio Aguirre Jr., organizer of Sole Slam Manila (SSM) and Dexter Tan, co-organizer of Sole Superior, to understand how they deal with offenders at their conventions. We also offer some solutions to help fellow sneakerheads avoid spending their hard-earned money on a pair of duds. This is one story every sneakerhead needs to read.

To read the full story and other insightful sneaker content, grab your copy of Straatosphere Volume 2 here.