Hi members!
First off, I wanted to thank all of you who joined us for dinner last week in New York to talk about the rise of the influencer economy and what it means for business, society, and our brains. We were so thrilled to meet more of you in person and I hope you had a great time.
If you missed the dinner or weren’t in NY, have no fear: We’re planning many other member events, and not just in New York—stay tuned for more.
Now, onto this week’s field guide: For decades, the world of fashion has been defined by its great houses: Chanel, Gucci, Balenciaga, and others. Those houses, in turn, were defined by the gowns they made, the suits they designed, the handbags they crafted.
These days, however, it’s all about sneakers. The rise of what used to be gym equipment into a leading artifact of high fashion says a lot about how we’ve changed as a culture. We’ve become more casual, we’re influenced by music (specifically, hip-hop), and we mix up things both high and low.
Delving into this, exploring this, and analyzing sneakers’ rapid ascendance is what Marc Bain, Quartz’s fashion reporter, will be doing this week. Today, Marc sets the stage with his state of play memo, laying out the growth of the sneaker industry both financially and culturally. Throughout the week, March will be looking at other dimensions of sneakerdom, including how they’re made, how they’ve become the new “it” bag, and the many other ways sneakers are taking over the world.
Here’s to a rewarding week,
Sam Grobart
membership editor