Sneak(er) Peek Africa”s largest sneaker trading event ”“ Sneaker Exchange
Officially known as the largest sneaker trading event in Africa where sneaker collectors and aficionados can buy, sell or trade sneakers as well as buy locally produced apparel and footwear, Sneaker Exchange(SXC) boasts close to 3,000 attendees per event in city centres such as Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Founder and co-director of SXC, Zaid Osman, is one of South Africa’s most notable sneaker collectors. Having spent his formative years growing up in the United States of America, Osman brought with him not only a great love for sneakers but also ideas on how to build the sneaker culture in South Africa.
SXC will be in Cape Town on Saturday, 29 April 2017 at The Lookout, V&A Waterfront from 11h00 to 19h00. Pre-sale tickets are available online for R70 per person, and R90 at the door. The live entertainment line-up will include artists such as Riky Rick, Anatii, Youngsta and Palmtree Paradise. Local DJs in attendance are noted as beingMajor League, Capital, JJ Fresh, Lord Veezus and Dunn Kidda.The event will also play host to local fashion labels, big-name brand activations, food vendors, live sneaker customisation, as well as a barber and tattoo artist on site.
Special guests at the event are Amsterdam-based clothing label Daily Paper. Founded in 2010, the menswear label is inspired by the founder’s own African heritage and passion for contemporary fashion, turning Daily Paper into a well-respected creator of authentic ready-to-wear garments. The menswear label is known for being affected by different African cultures incorporating these influences into modern design with a unique rugged character. Also in attendance will be multidisciplinary artist and sneaker customiser Dada Khanyisa, who will be creating mini-Asics sneakers on site. 
The inaugural SXC event in 2013 had very humble beginnings. The event saw a few dozen die-hard sneaker collectors and aficionados in attendance at a coffee shop in Woodstock, Cape Town. Since then the event has grown exponentially year-on-year, and has even been commissioned to curate sneaker exhibits across Africa.
SXC offers not only die-hard sneaker collectors (also known as OGs or Originals Gangsters) the rare opportunity to see limited edition or exclusive sneaker designs first hand, but it also gives sneaker traders the opportunity to either trade in or sell their near-mint condition footwear to likeminded individuals. The event isn’t only for the solemnly devoted sneaker lover though: “The whole premise of the event is that it’s about sharing the love of a culture few people know about or understand,” says Osman. “I created this event so that I could share my passion for sneakers with others and so we welcome anyone and everyone to Sneaker Exchange.”
SXC has traditionally been the ideal platform for local and global sneaker brands to showcase their latest designs and activate consumer-facing campaigns. However, Osman ensures that wherever SXC events are held that local apparel and footwear brands are offered the opportunity to showcase and sell their designs, too. “There’s no denying that big-name and global brands will always hold a certain appeal, but it’s time South Africa rallies behind and supports local designers just as passionately,” adds co-Director of SXC, Tebogo Mogola who joined forces with Osman in 2015. An avid sneaker collector himself, Joburg-based Mogola shares not only Osman’s passion for designer sneakers but also works in the entertainment industry; giving him the perfect credentials as a business partner.
SXC events have provided some of the best in local entertainment. In the past, SXC has hosted performances by the likes of AKA, Da.Les, Riky Rick, Reason, Nomuzi “Moozlie”, Stilo Magolide, Mashayabhuque and Nasty C.
Tickets for the Cape Town SXC on Saturday, 29 April are available on Computicket:
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