Antwerp – Barde + vanVoltt didn’t design the Antwerp Sneaker District store with the traditional sneakerhead in mind. Instead, they thought of the new sneakerhead: Millennials and Gen Z-ers with increasing levels of aesthethic demands and a more luxurious shopping experience, no matter the good.
It’s an understandable investment: sales of designer and leisure sneakers have grown by ten per cent and 33 per cent for both men and women respectively, while handbags (the usual growth driver accessory for the fashion industry) in comparison have only experienced a seven per cent rise in sales in the same period. On the other hand, a mammoth 85 per cent of growth in the luxury goods and experiences market in 2017 is attributed to Millennials and Gen Z-ers.
