Sneakerheads flock to first day of Sneaker Con SEA 2025

The buzz was palpable on day one of Sneaker Con SEA 2025 in Singapore, as sneakerheads roared and cheered - with some even holding their prized sneakers aloft when renowned American sneaker designer Steven Smith and Japanese influencer Rae Lil Black took to the stage during the meet-and-greet on Feb 22.

Now in its third year and continuing on Feb 23 from 11am to 9pm, the convention is set to attract 18,000 attendees across both days. Held in Halls E and F of the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, it hosts top sneaker brands, leading creators and a new non-ticketed food zone, GastroBeats Takes The Streets, featuring 15 street food vendors.

Sneaker Con SEA first-timers Carl Iyog and Sher Low, both 27, made a stylish debut in matching Air Jordan 1s. Eager to refresh their collection, Mr Iyog, an army regular, felt the event was the place to score some "interesting" kicks.

Their search paid off when they discovered a matching pair of grey Air Jordans for sale at one of the booths. The couple will meet the vendor at a later date to collect their sizes.

"The market price is apparently $170 per pair, but we might get it for lower," said Ms Low, who works in human resources.

Culture Kicks, a popular Philadelphia-based media and sneaker company known for its unboxing videos and sneaker purchases from fans, drew a snaking queue outside its booth as many hoped to sell their shoes directly to the team.

Standing in line was 22-year-old Sean Seah, who was waiting with 20 boxes of shoes. He said he brought about 80 pairs for resale, with the rest in his car.

The undergraduate, who attended Sneaker Con SEA in 2024, said: "You get to meet people from other countries who own stores. You can make good connections here. I still sell to people I met during the event last year."

The most expensive pair he plans to resell is the Travis Scott x Fragment Air Jordan 1 Low, which he bought on e-commerce marketplace Carousell for $1,800.

Headlining in 2025 was the "Godfather of Dad Shoes" Smith, 60, who designed iconic creations for major brands like the New Balance 574, Reebok InstaPump Fury and Nike Air Zoom Spiridon Cage, and now serves as head of creative innovation at Crocs.

One of Smith's fans who managed to snag his autograph was Ms Edlyn Tang, a 20-year-old undergraduate who bought a pair of Jordan Brand: Unbannable sneakers for $269.

Of her third time at the event, she said: "Sneaker Con is meaningful to me as it is a community I have grown to love, from shoe designers, collectors and the average Singaporean who comes to learn more about shoes and leaves as a fan."

Tickets for Sneaker Con SEA 2025 are priced at $35 (general) and $55 (premium) and are available at sea.sneakercon.com