Rare Jordans

Sneakers are the all-purpose shoe: universal and utilitarian. Hardly the stuff of fetishes and exotic collections. But that's changing. Retro collectible sneakers, until recently the domain of fashionistas and fanatical sneakerheads, are now a growing force in the athletic-shoe game. The field boasts its own websites, and exclusive, often unmarked rare-sneaker shops are popping up nationwide. These vintage kicks are even the stuff of urban art, with former pro skateboarder Chris Hall planning to display his collection this month at the Aurora Gallery in New York City. In addition, "Sneaker Pimps," an exhibition featuring rare and limited-edition sneakers from all over the world, recently arrived from Australia for a tour of the U.S.; it includes collections from famous pro skaters and hip-hop artists and even some borrowed from shoe-company vaults — including those of Nike, Vans, Puma and Converse.

Old-school sneaker collecting first took off in the early '90s as dealers bought out the leftovers of old and discontinued models from the major shoe companies. These pristine, never worn, never even laced shoes are known as deadstock to sneaker freaks, and a particularly sought-after pair (like original Nike Air Jordans) can easily fetch as much as $1,000 on eBay or the sneakerhead websites. At those prices, these prized pairs stay off the feet to maintain their mint condition.

Taking note of this trend, the sneaker companies began dusting off their old styles and reissuing them, often in special colors and limited numbers. Adidas launched its Originals line of rereleases in 2001. Reebok also has a classics division that re-creates '80s models like the Pump.

But for many shoe nerds, Nike rules. Since it first issued a retro Air Jordan in 1994, Nike has consistently created some of the rarest, most coveted sneakers. In 2001 in a Sacramento, Calif., mall, 60 police officers in riot gear faced a tense crowd of 200 people ready to battle over 80 pairs of Nike Jordan Retro XIs that were being put up for sale. This summer the most coveted shoe is the Nike Heineken Dunk, the first in a six-pack of collectible Dunks. Riot cops, beware. There were reportedly only 1,000 pairs made.