echo By: Nimue Wafiya
Did you know that sneakers got their name because their rubber soles don’t make noise?
Sneakerlah is Malaysia’s biggest sneaker, streetwear and lifestyle convention. This year, Sneakerlah is being held at Mid Valley Exhibition Centre (MVEC) on the 5th and 6th of October from 10am to 10pm.
If you haven’t heard about it and failed to grab pre-sale tickets, you can get tickets at the door for a fair price of RM30.
If you’re a non-sneakerhead like me, here’s what you stand to gain from attending an event that’s getting so much buzz:
1. You get to appreciate the style of everyone around you; SPOILER ALERT: they’re jaw-dropping
Good Vibes Festival (GVF) is usually the first event that comes to mind when we think about going all out on our ‘fits. Sure, there is the occasional Artbox, fashion shows and themed art exhibitions (where attendees feel the need to conform to the unwritten rule of dressing up to a certain standard) but all of them do not compare to specifically seeing thousands of people pull out the slickest, bougie-est, most in-your-face-I-am-rich outfits from what must be their gold mine of a wardrobe.
Everywhere you look, people are paying homage to the irrefutable pillars of the high-end fashion scene in 2019; the streetwear chain necklaces, printed t-shirts of classic drawings with a modern twist, the signature oversized silhouettes that originated from Japan. You’ve seen them all over Instagram, but to see them donned by their owners with a brazen personality to match is a whole other experience. Marc Jacobs says it all: “Clothes mean nothing until someone lives in them.”
Naturally, it’s a place to befriend some like-minded people!
2. Catch Rudy’s (a South Korean artist) exclusive exhibition
Source
Rudy’s signature move is to reconstruct by first deconstructing sneakers layer by layer to make what can best be described as an “exploding sneaker”.
Unlike unnecessary videos of people abusing the latest Iphones, Rudy’s abuse offers not the high entropy of destroying expensive things for the gags but instead, an insightful look at the very shield between our feet and the hazardous ground. It takes a certain kind of passion to spend 7 hours straight removing the stitches, melting the glue and reconstructing the pieces of exorbitant sneakers (Rudy really did spend that long on the Nike Dunk SB Low Piet Mondrian, which is being displayed at Sneakerlah as pictured above).
3. Even if you’re unfamiliar with the significance of each sneaker, the convention is a feast for your eyes anyway
Everyone wears shoes, so to see how extra such an essential part of our lives can get is a treat. You can catch some eccentric pairs like The Levi’s x Air Jordan 4, the nasi lemak inspired Asics Gel-Kayano 5 OG (retailing at RM599) and the countless pairs from the many stalls set up around the convention center (there are so, so many).
In addition to the shoes, you can even see some (icy) jewelry, unique keychains and a bunch of interactive games spread throughout the grounds. There are also some interesting panels, DJs, challenges and lucky draws happening all around you, so not only will you get a chance to devour the sight of a bunch of attractive items, you can also stand a chance to win some really expensive sneakers!
FYI, Sneakerlah began it’s efforts in spreading streetwear culture farther and wider in Malaysian in 2015. From having an impressive yet relatively small 17,000 attendees to receiving twice that number of attendees last year shows just how much our art scene is expanding. It would be a total shame to not contribute to the crowd count this year, so head on over on the last day, learn more about sneakers and have fun with your friends!
I’ll sign off with another shoe fact: Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars, first marketed in 1917, are the all-time best-selling sneakers, with total sales nearing 600 million pairs ⎼ do you have one?
