In the USA, they are remarkably increasing in number. In Italy, still they are not that well known, yet they might become popular in a short while: as evidence of it, think about the experience of Milanese Jacopo De Carli, which we told about in the issue n.1, 2019, of our new monthly magazine. We are talking about sneaker repair shops, recently spotlighted by the Wall Street Journal while telling about some American entrepreneurs: they decided to take care of shoes of several sneaker lovers, some of whom are collectors since one can find a few models in limited edition only. Some specialized artisans currently work in such repair shops, but customers may also buy here specific products for mending worn out or simply dirty sneakers. This business model proves effective apparently: it is no coincidence that some “workshops” have opened new stores in other countries as well. In addition, prospective opportunities for this new job look potentially rewarding, as we consider that luxury fashion brands are stepping into the “sportswear” market: they often manufacture their models by making use of refined and valuable materials, such as leather, therefore they could be seeking someone to “take care of them”. According to some estimates provided by the Sole 24 Ore, in 2018, 60 to 65% of shoes sold by haute couture brands are sneakers, both for women and men. Looks like we shall walk over the path to the future by wearing sports shoes, very high end though: we had better find, in a timely manner, our own trusted “sneaker repairer” then.
Picture taken from theshoeclinicbham.com
