Not your usual sneaker ballot: The launch of the adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 by Limited Edt came complete with live music performances, plenty of mingling, and a special surprise for one super lucky sneakerhead.
In the lead-up to this by-invite-only launch, the DMND | SPLY photo voting contest by Straatosphere gave sneaker enthusiasts a means to express their creativity, ascertain their popularity in the sneaker community, and gain entry to one of the most coveted ballot events of the year.
The excitement from the pre-ballot contest set the tone of the ballot event proper. On event day, a crowd formed even before the doors officially opened. Sneakerheads came in droves, queuing to register their ballot slips and sending prayers to Yeezus for good luck.
Curious onlookers and those who didn’t manage to win invites were seen standing by the walkways surrounding the event space, no doubt wanting to also be part of the action.
The prolific DJ Rattle kickstarted the evening with good beats, and rapper-songwriter REQ, who just released his debut track “Badman”, banged out a three-song performance to get the crowd pumped.
Even though he’s no stranger to big crowds, REQ was blown away by the vibe overall. “I could see how desperately people wanted the shoes, and there were some real fanatics,” he said. “A few people were dressed head to toe in Kanye West related clothes too. I think if the culture continues to grow then there could be sneaker events on the scale of Comic-Con, which would be great!”
When it came down to the ballot, which was split into two segments, all eyes were focused on the giant screens flanking the event area as everyone waited with bated breath for their numbers to show up.
By the end of the second draw, a total of 36 people emerged as the chosen ones who would get their hands on Kanye’s latest creation.
“The highlight of the event was the atmosphere and energy,” said Jaeho Jang, one of the winners. “We were all there for the same reason, which was to win a pair, but those didn’t win were enjoying themselves with great music, food, and drinks.”
Despite the strong male attendance at the launch, Claire Chavez managed to take a win for female sneakerheads.
“It was my first time attending such a big sneaker release, and I was stunned by the great set-up, backdrop and stage lights,” she said. “I managed to meet Mandeep, the owner of Limited Edt, who congratulated me personally. I also made new friends and even reconnected with an old pal, whom I haven’t seen in 10 years, who also won a pair!”
Even those who came up short were far from disappointed. “Being part of such a significant event in the sneaker scene is quite a privilege, especially for us who won the photo voting contest,” said Con Aranzamendez. “It’s something that we can be proud of and adds to our so-called sneaker enthusiast’s ‘bucket list’. So, I feel that I still am a winner even though I didn’t get the shoes.”
Limited Edt had one final trick up its sleeves, and that came in the form of the grand prize for the evening — a free pair of the next adidas Yeezy Boost for one lucky attendee.
Ballot number “016” was called, and Andy Wong, who missed half of his friend’s wedding to attend the launch, let out a burst of excitement upon realizing he was the ultimate winner.
“I was in shock at first. I remembered that among our group of friends, one guy’s slip number was ‘016’. Then I checked mine and exclaimed. To be honest, I was a little slow to react.”
While it remains unclear if it’s another adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 that Kanye will be dropping next, Andy’s already keeping his fingers crossed that it will be in his favorite colorway.
“Honestly, I love white shoes, so if the next Yeezy will be in that color I’d be so happy! And in Singapore’s weather, I always prefer a 350 — it’s more versatile and light compared to the 750. But hey, a Yeezy is still a Yeezy.”
The ballot event was presented by Limited Edt and produced by Straatosphere, with the support of adidas Singapore.
Read More: 27,000 Votes Later, Here are the Winners of the DMND | SPLY Voting Contest