Scalpers taking over the game forcing people to find a way to circumvent paying these ridiculous prices for new kicks. Seeing reps that look like this is starting to make me wonder how much a possibility this can become

I don't think so. The ones that make a lot of money are getting busted by feds and the ones that look legit are getting c&d letters from nike and whoever

Hell no

I've noticed they are getting big on TikTok recently.

I wonder if the opinion will change, I know a lot of people don't give a s*** if it's 'fake'

i would buy reps if they were accurate and people vouched for there quality

The quality of reps have improved significantly since early last decade. It's becoming harder to distinguish the real from the ua, unless you really study this s*** and know all the fine details.

Going by the amount of rep sellers I see on ig and the amount they all get tagged in influencer posts etc, I would say they already are but a lot of people don't know or likely care they're reps

If you don’t know the difference between real and fake then does it really matter?

Nike sweatshops are just as bad as whatever factory reps come from and what’s the point of being into fashion if you can’t afford to own anything you actually want?

Not every clothing item that's worth copping is made in a sweatshop in China literally more than half of my current wardrobe is made in Italy/USA/Japan/etc.

Also dressing fashionably doesn't mean you have to shell out a lot of money there are so many alternatives like thrifting and Grailed and TheRealReal where you can find designer pieces at a reasonable price

not for me or ppl i know

but more than likely cause tiktok and younger gens are more okay with them. Younger crowd just okay with reps in general, not only sneakers

I know you said nike, but not every fashion brand or piece is made in sweatshops, contrary to belief. Idk why ppl think all luxury and s*** is from from asian sweatshops

No because I've realized sneakerhead culture has just transformed into trying to impress other dudes that are on Instagram too much with your expensive kicks.

Hard disagree.

My problem with reps is not where they come from, but the plagiarism/stealing of ideas of the design teams that work to make those products come to life.

Also I not only have that problem with replicas, but also with imitations like Zara/H&M/Asos etc.

People have normalized reps and imitations because they are so detached to the actual craftsmanship behind the products.

When products are made in sweatshops obviously the craftsmanship is lesser, but there are still creatives making the designs.

tiktok generation glorifies them, which is ehhhh. but if you like the design of a incredibly expensive sneaker, and this is the only way you can acquire them, do your thing. i've never been with the gatekeeping or elitist s***.

i hope not, but they definitely will

f*** reps but also f*** scalpers raising prices on s***

imagine scalping reps, couldn't be me

unless scalpers stop existing, then reps will always exist.

the only thing that makes me feel a certain way is that i spent 450 on some grapes this month and there's somebody walking around right now who probably paid less than 100 for some reps that look exactly the same.

It’s already very mainstream and prevalent tbh. People just wanna be seen with a certain shoe or be associated with a brand,their not worried about the exact fit the designer intended,the little details or having the real thing for that matter. As a longtime fan of fashion,I care about having the real deal.

But if I was a random dude whos easily influenced and found out about a brand or a shoe that was hot through social media or my favorite rapper,if I’m just looking to imitate,why do i need the real thing?

The mainstream isn't even interested in fashion, the step from that to buying reps is quite massive.

Even then the amount of fakes has been pretty steady, it's just what's being faked that changes. Hype streetwear today, something else tomorrow.

It is getting more exposure now online, but that's because kids and more online-oriented people are trying to play pretend. Before it was your aunts and grandmas buying fake Louis Vuitton on the street markets and deadbeat businessmen trying to fake it til they made it with fake rolexes. But it was far from the norm. And will continue to be. The closest to mainstream it gets is when clueless people accidentally buy fakes, but I don't count that.

It's always been like this, you're just now noticing because it's in a field of fashion you're invested in.

Also scalpers and sneakers in general is such a small aspect of fashion that no matter how bad it gets it won't have any effect on fashion in general.

Yes, They're getting better, this guy had the shoes for a while and didn't even notice until he went to sell them. He only got a refund because his video got enough attention. Think of how many people own +$300 fakes without knowing it

I won't buy jordan 1s because the fakes too good now I'm not gone pay stockx $300 for a pair and I just sat and watched niggas buy a real pair from Footaction and put the retail receipt in the fake box and resale them s***s a few days later.

Dudes who siwpe willingly wear fakes, and it's not even their money some people won't pay resell/retail prices when they got it if a 1:1 option is available.

Companies make it too hard to hard to buy legit items. That’s why idc if someone buys reps or not