Does sneaker culture need innovation?

Never as in recent years the sneaker world has seen the arrival of new players and releases on a weekly basis that have gone to fill a saturated market. If many brands do not seem willing to change their approach, some have found the backbone of their work in creativity and experimentation, managing to translate the street spirit of sneaker culture into a dimension closer to the world of fashion, bringing the road to the catwalk. However, innovation also passes from the research of materials, leading the world of sneakers towards sustainability and the search for new ways to reuse and create, but also from technology and the possibilities that this can offer us.

Even before the world discovered the fascination in NFTs and digital objects, Gucci had created the Gucci Virtual 25: a hybrid of high-top and low-top inspired by the aesthetics of 80s, with a green upper made of different materials, a chunky sole and the double G logo on the sole. An item with a unique charm that accompanied the launch of Gucci Sneakers Garage, the section of the Gucci app dedicated to virtual sneakers in which users have the opportunity to customize or create their own model from scratch by combining shoe uppers, soles and patterns. The digital world can represent the next step of the sneaker game as long as it fully understands its potential, transforming it into a creative hub where creators and fans can exchange ideas to carry on creativity and innovation.

Creativity and the future of the sneaker game were the main topics of Gucci Podcast in a special episode created in collaboration with The SneakerPod and nss magazine. Chris Danforth, freelance writer and photographer, talked about it with Helen Kirkum, designer and artist specializing in creating sneakers using recycled materials, and Jacques Slade, world-renowned sneaker enthusiast and collector.