"I think the difference between myself and the typical sneaker head when you think about it is I don't have 200 pairs of sneakers in mom's basement. My collection is really only 65-70 pairs and I haven't sold but a few just starting two or three years ago. And so I held for almost 10 years as an investor from the early going. I've never worn any of the pairs that I've bought." - Ryan Chang
Takeaways
- When looking at the value of a pair of sneakers, brand, collaboration history, and rarity are key criteria.
- The hype model, where a limited number of sneakers are released to create demand, is a common marketing strategy used by sneaker companies.
- Chang believes that the sneaker market is still growing and that sneakers can be a good long-term asset class.
- NFTs have emerged as a complimentary asset class to sneakers as a way to represent ownership.
Bio
Ryan has one of the top sneaker collections in the world and has helped move sneakers forward as an investable asset class. Ryan sold Kanye West ‘Grammy Worn’ Nike Air Yeezy 1 Prototypes from 2008 for $1.8 million in 2021 - the world record for most expensive sneaker sale. He is also the Founder and Chief Curator of Applied Arts, which provides consulting services to individuals and companies investing in alternative assets such as sneakers, sports cards, NFTs, and other collectibles. Ryan also founded Ivy Consulting, which provides tutoring and other academic services. Read more about Ryan:
- https://www.sothebys.com/en/articles/an-inside-look-at-the-world-of-ultra-rare-sneakers
- https://www.masterdynamic.com/blogs/the-dynamic/understanding-ultra-rare-sneakers-with-collector-ryan-chang
