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Here's what went down during the return of one of the biggest sneaker events housing some of the freshest shoe releases ever after a two-year break
The SMX Convention Center at Pasay, Manila was immediately packed with sneaker enthusiasts merely a few minutes after the doors opened. Despite changing venues a week before the day of the event, around 6,000 sneakerheads—including Filipino collectors and content creators like Bigboy Cheng and Carlo Ople—flocked to the Manila Sneaker Expo 10 (MSE 10).
The line snaked across the hall on both the first and second level, where you could see guests flexing their favourite pairs.
MSE 10, presented by Crep Project, Secret Fresh, and ShoeGame Manila, featured some of the freshest shoes ever released that have a total worth of more than a million pesos.
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The expo started by Ronnie de Vera, the man behind ShoeGame Manila, set up their own booth by the entrance, where guests could easily spot the iconic Nike Air Yeezy 2 Red October placed on top of a Supreme Director's Chair.
There were several pairs of Air Jordan shoes displayed including the Jordan 1 Retro High Dior, Jordan 6 Retro Travis Scott British Khaki, and the Air Jordan 4 Manila. Highly-coveted Off-White shoes were also up for grabs such as the Nike Off-White x Dunk Low collection and the holy grail: the Jordan 1 Retro High Off-White Chicago.
Read more: Kobe Bryant Sneakers: 5 Iconic Kicks To Add To Your Collection
Yeezys were lined up as well, from the newest drops to the OGs: the Adidas Yeezy Boost 700 Wave Runner, Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 Beluga, Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Bone, Yeezy Slides, and Yeezy Foam Runners in Sand, Ochre, and Vermillion.
Stores also sold streetwear apparel such as Fear of God Essentials, BAPE Clothing, Drew, and a few pieces from both well-loved and upcoming local brands such as Mad Ink, Richboyz, and DBTK which released some exclusive pieces at the event.
Guests could have their shoes cleaned and buy their own Crep Protect x DJ Khaled Sneaker Care Collection which was also included in a giveaway during the latter part of the event.
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It has been a while since the sneaker community has come together. Popular go-to stores such as Sole Avenue, Solerepubliq, and Secret Fresh among many others were a hit. There were also great finds from Sneakers Chief PH, and Trilogymerch.
See also: 7 of The Most Iconic Adidas Sneakers To Keep in Your Closet
It was a good day, not only for enthusiasts but also for small business owners like Dave’s Almocera of Double Up LA and The Flipside PH who had the opportunity to set up a booth at the expo. "The modality of the market right now is through the internet. . .it's much easier for us to connect [because] we don't have a physical store," said Almocera.
Even then, business owners like Almocera were affected by the onslaught of the pandemic. Sales might have dwindled, but sneaker enthusiasts kept an eye out on new releases.
On April 24, MSE 10 helped revive the sneaker community, creating ways for sellers to connect with future loyal patrons.
The night concluded after people gathered around the stage to celebrate the music, hip-hop, and sneakers with musical performances by rapper Al James, Just Hush, Ez Mil, Jay Flava, and many other talents.
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Credits
Images: Christine Andas
Christine Andas is a features writer and the style lead of Tatler Philippines. She mostly covers style-related content but enjoys writing about space, sneakers, and her favourite stars. She acquired a master's degree in Creative Writing at the University of Santo Tomas and has written young adult short stories which can be read online.
