从球鞋到创业：潮水褪去后的思考

Today the sole of one of my Yeezys finally split open. My love of sneakers goes back to childhood and Slam Dunk, and to the Jordan 1, which felt like a symbol of Jordan's refusal to lose. From 2019 to 2022 the sneaker world changed. For the first time I saw that a hobby could become money. A pair bought for RM600 on Nike's site could sell for RM1000 two weeks later. Resale platforms boomed and collectors borrowed money to flip shoes. The market felt like the stock market. I was swept in too. The most expensive pair I bought was this Yeezy, carried back from the UK by a friend for RM1200. Within a month it was worth RM2000. Then came the Kanye West controversy, Adidas ended the partnership, the Yeezy market collapsed, and the shoes became almost worthless. Only then did I start wearing them, for three years until they fell apart. As Buffett said, only when the tide goes out do you see who's swimming naked. Collecting is a hobby, and capital is fine, but speculation needs care. Now the market has cooled, young people call Nike and Adidas old-people shoes, and On, Hoka and Salomon have taken share. If even Nike's moat can be shaken, whether new brands last is worth watching. It's like starting a business: following the hype may pay quickly but carries big risk; what lasts is doing what you love and believe in, and waiting for the wind.