There’s nothing quite like rocking up in your best kicks and style-checking others at a sneaker convention. Here are scenes and snippets of juicy information from the organizers of various sneaker cons around the world.

Sergio Muster, Sneakerness Zurich 

What are some recent trends you have noticed among sneakerheads in Europe?
There is a focus on simple colorways. But the whole outfit has become important too. Back in the day, you had the hip hop fans with their baggy pants and Jordans, along with the electro freaks with Dunks or Air Maxes. Now, there is a mix of all styles.

Simon Wood, Sneaker Freaker Swap Meet

To your knowledge, what has been the craziest swap/trade of all time at these Swap Meets?
We’ve seen shoes sell for US$5,000 and above, such as the red Yeezys, but that’s a rarity. Sometimes the craziest deals are when someone pays way under the street price for a pair of sneakers. There’s a lot of haggling and bartering and a huge amount of shoes end up with new owners at the end of the day.

William Yuen, Kicks On Malaysia

What are some sections or activities that you have included in your sneaker convention that makes it uniquely yours?
Kicks On is not just about sneakers; we joined forces with people in local streetwear, art, graffiti, hip hop music, DJ, sneaker customization, basketball and more. We try to combine all the elements of street and sneaker culture into one place, where people can have the opportunity to learn more about the whole scene here.

Antonio Aguirre Jr., Sole Slam Manila

What’s your recipe for keeping your events fresh?
With our events, you always have to prepare yourself for the unexpected. I personally handpick our special guests, and this year, we’ll make you say “WTF, they’re gonna bring in who?!” We love to make our fans and followers go nuts at our events to make it worthwhile and really memorable.

Dexter Tan, Sole Superior Singapore

Can we expect anything different at Sole Superior this year?
This year, we would like to feature more local sneaker sellers and up-and-coming customizers. So look forward to a bigger representation of resellers, especially since we intend to lower booth rental costs. All you resellers out there, band together and feature at Sole Superior, alright?

For the full story on sneaker cons around the world, order your copy of Straatosphere Vol. 3, releasing on September 22^nd on Seamless.