Welcome back to the ShoeStack events blog series. In this edition, we revisit our debut at Sneakerness in London. Over 7,000 people gathered at The Truman Brewery for this premium sneaker, fashion, and lifestyle event hosted by The Evening Standard.
The Launch Party
Our team was privileged to join just 700 VIPs personally invited by The Evening Standard to the Sneakerness Launch Party at Café KOKO in Camden. It was a fantastic chance for brands and creators to connect before the event. Here’s a visual of the vibes below:
The Set-up
Exhibitors and sellers were allowed into the venue the day before the event to set up. The team absolutely smashed unloading the van and building the display. Adam (@adam_roberts) came through to help us set up and build fresh boxes for our display. He also brought some pairs from of his personal collection for us to display over the weekend.
The Main Event
Sneakerness is known for its unique blend of elements combining fashion, music, gaming, art, and sport. The event had many high-profile exhibitors catering to a wide variety of interests!
For instance, eBay challenged sneakerheads with their multi-sensory Authenticity Lab. NBA 2K collaborated with The Edit LDN for an exciting basketball tournament hosted by sports presenter Mo Mooncey. Also, Bandai Namco offered attendees an exclusive chance to try out the new Tekken 8 game before its official release!
For the Sneakerheads, NoTwoWays displayed their catalogue including some sample pairs and offered a sneak peek at the now-released Formula ‘Matter’ in our acrylic 360 crates. Meanwhile, Christian Louboutin promoted the launch of their new sneaker, ‘The Astro Loubi’ with Commonwealth Games gold medalist Jamell Anderson and Love Island star Ovie Soko hosting a basketball challenge.
Bernardo, our founder caught up with Callux at the NoTwoWays booth and played against Jamell at the Louboutin court. In addition, Chilly’s allowed visitors to customise their own water bottles with graffiti, Eastpak got creative and offered personalised bag designs, InstaX had the photography covered and Havana Club provided drinks and music, all creating an exciting vibrant atmosphere over the weekend.
Independent sellers also made their mark, offering a wide selection of sought after, rare, hyped and vintage sneakers. Others showcased their handmade bespoke shoes, clothing, rugs, candles, and more.
At the main stage, we saw panel talks, games and charity auctions hosted by creatives Mark (@nineteen.85), Jessy (@jessylaw) and Fabio (@fdfromthefuture), featuring guests such as Callux and Rockwell from NoTwoWays.
Showcasing History
Additionally, Dennis (@sneakerdenn) was given the opportunity to display some very rare and vintage pairs at the entrance of the event. We provided him with our acrylic 360 display crates and felt proud to see such unique pairs in our boxes to welcome collectors and enthusiasts on the day. If you haven’t checked out Dennis’s content already, you really should! His collection is insane.
Building a Strong Community
Participating in Sneakerness proved to be a game-changer for Shoestack. The event allowed us to connect with influential figures in the industry and build a network of invaluable contacts.
As Bernardo, shared his journey with The Hoxton Trend during an interview, it was a realisation of the brand’s progress. We are very grateful for the opportunity to connect and look forward to working together in the future.
We were also excited to show off our new branded logo wall, which became a focal point at our booth, allowing visitors to capture timeless memories. Franklin a.k.a (@kingoftrainers) came through and signed a pair of his Ellesse collaboration. We appreciate you coming down and can’t wait to catch up again! The community showed out all weekend and our team had some great conversations with everyone. A special shoutout to RV for stopping by, it was a pleasure to finally meet you!
Overall, the new wall not only served as a backdrop for countless photos, but also as a symbol of our commitment to creating lasting connections with our community. Shoutout to everyone who came by and had a chat, we really enjoyed meeting you all!
Return of the Mystery Bags
Exclusive to events, our favoured mystery bags stirred excitement among attendees over the weekend. Priced at just £60, with a guaranteed minimum RRP of £80 and the possibility of landing a top prize worth £500+ in retail value, they kept us very busy over the weekend. Congratulations to everyone who took part, we love seeing all your reactions and look forward to seeing your stacks!
A Bright Future Ahead
As we reflect on our remarkable journey at Sneakerness, we are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a prestigious event. For us, being a part of Sneakerness was a milestone in our journey as a brand. The event truly put Shoestack on the map, helping us establish valuable connections within the industry. A special thank you to Nadine, Keaton and the rest of the team at Sneakerness and to everyone at The Evening Standard. We really appreciate the opportunity.
What’s Next?
Our last show of the year is coming up in a few weeks time! Mark your calendars for Sunday 26th November 2023, as we hit Boxpark Wembley in London for Crepe City. We have an exclusive spot upstairs at the event and can’t wait to show you all what we have planned. Grab your tickets now and come help ShoeStack end the year on a high!
Thank you for reading and stayed tuned for the next blog post where we take a look back at our journey to Crepe City in Bristol!!
Team ShoeStack.
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