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Sneakers have gone from being used as utility gear for different sports, like basketball and running, to being collectable items. This goes as far back as 1985, when Nike dropped the iconic Air Jordan 1s, a shoe that helped put Nike on the map when it comes to the sneaker game.
The demand for Air Jordan 1s was so high that Nike couldn't manufacture them fast enough. However, Nike's turning point was when Tinker Hatfield introduced the Jumpman logo on the Air Jordan 3s, which were so popular that Nike has remade them countless times without really satisfying demand.
The sneaker boom has created many opportunities for scalpers who then resell these shoes for a fortune in secondary markets. Just as an example: in 2014, eBay sold $388 million worth of sneakers.
The infographic below shows how much footwear sales each athleisure brand made last year. The good news is that Nike still dominates sneaker sales and it's still one of their more resilient categories. One of the many reasons why Nike should be a core holding in your portfolio.
You will find more infographics at Statista