It’s a freezing winter’s night in the heart of Sydney’s CBD but for the devoted campers staking out their spot along the concrete jungle of Pitt St, the atmosphere is pumping and enough to keep them warm as the temperature plummets to single digits.
Curious commuters making their way home stop and ask what they’re lining up for. Justin Bieber tickets? Orpah’s coming to town soon, maybe they’re queuing for her?
The line of about 30 odd people is right outside the Body Shop – a limited edition gold-infused soap must be about to drop, surely?
Nope. Think again.
All this fuss is for a pair of kicks designed by none other than Kanye West.
Pumped up kicks: The Air Yeezy 350 Boost shoes retail for around $260
Since Monday this week dedicated shoe aficionados – also known as Sneaker Freakers – have been camping outside boutique store Incu, in the Galeries Victoria shopping centre, waiting for the latest Adidas Air Yeezy 350 Boost to land on Saturday, August 22nd.
That’s a jaw-dropping five days of sleeping rough for what Adidas describes as “a low-top sneaker designed by Kanye West.”
In June, a grey design was released and now fans are gearing up for the Pirate Black edition which retail for $AUD260. Shiver me timbers, what even is Pirate Black?! Yeezy must have taught his fellow disciples all about it.
Keeping warm! Dedicated shoe aficionados – also known as Sneaker Freakers – tuck into Cuppa Noodles as they camp outside Incu in Sydney’s CBD.
To the untrained eye these unassuming shoes with a simple rubber heel and subtle red stitch certainly don’t warrant sacrificing the comfort of your bed for a whole week and living off Cuppa Noodles.
But for the Sneaker Freakers, slipping their feet into these little babies is the equivalent of winning the golden ticket.
19-year-old Jed boasts the number one position in the heaving line, which snakes all the way down the corner to Park St. It’s a big improvement from his last camp out for the first edition of Kanye’s shoes, which saw him in the number eight slot.
Number one punter Jed steals a sneaky nap as the morning sun warms up his prize position in the long line.
“It feels good to be at the front. Why are the shoes so special? To be honest, it’s the fact Kanye designed them,” Jed tells me. However the novelty is certainly wearing off.
“I just really want to get the shoes and go home. It’s heaps cold at night. I had a sleeping bag and a blanket last night but it was still freezing,” he explains, before revealing he’s been showering at his friend’s house up the road.
Others aren’t so lucky and have strategically signed up to the Fitness First upstairs for the one day pass so they can use their facilities to stay fresh.
To while away the hours, it’s all about keeping busy and mingling with the crowd. “It’s pretty fun just chilling with the boys, there’s some girls in here too but we just talk, chill and eat food. The time is actually going pretty fast,” says Jed.
A few punters in the line are simply queuing to re-sell the shoes for a profit – but not Jed who insists, “Of course I’m going to wear it! I’m not a re-seller!”
Sage shows off her other pair Yeezy shoes.
Sage Hammond, 18, is just as passionate in her commitment. “When you want something and you really, really want it bad, you’ve got to get it,” Sage says as she holds onto a survival pack full of pressed juices and chocolates her friend gave her.
“My parents think I’m stupid to wait a week but once I get those shoes, I’m going to wear them every day. I’m not a re-seller. I don’t like re-sellers,” she explains.
For Sage it’s not just about getting the shoes, it’s about reconnecting with her friends she met at the last camp out.
“I actually came by myself but I’m catching up with the people I met last time.”
Her camping strategy is simple: “You need a really good sleeping bag, two chairs and a crate underneath so you can lie down completely in the night and sleeping pills to make you drowsy.”
Meanwhile, in the lead up to Saturday Incu employee Trent has been checking in on the group and bringing them cups of tea.
Come Saturday, Incu in the Galeries Victoria shopping centre (pictured) will be inundated with devoted fans keen to purchase Kanye West’s latest creation.
“They’re putting in the hard yards and they’re very linked to us so we do feel responsible for them. It’s also very nice for us because we get to know the guys and become a little bit closer and connected,” Trent reveals.
Although other stores in Sydney and indeed Australia are unveiling the shoe on Saturday, Incu is the one of the only shops that offer a first-in-best-dressed type line up, while other outlets rely on a random raffle selection.
“Because we are doing line ups, they’re all guaranteed for a pair. A raffle system is too random, they’re prepared to put in the hours but they can get robbed,” Trent tells.
And it’s not just the Air Yeezy 350 Boosts that attract the SF crowds. “They’re across all the blogs and they commit their lives to it. Whenever they’re not working, they’re doing this. As soon as something drops they all know about it.”
Come Saturday Incu will be prepped and ready to roll, letting two to three people in at a time in a very “orderly and smooth fashion.”
Jed and Sage will be some of the first customers in the country to waltz out in their brand spanking new kicks.
So will Sage be dancing home with Kanye blaring out of her headphones? “I like some of his songs but I don’t always like his personality. I mean, he can do some pretty disgusting things to other artists. But I really like the shoes, so whatever.”
18-year-old Sage holds onto her survival bag full of treats to get her through the freezing nights.
Kanye first shis shoes at the Yeezy fashion show back in February and now his fans are hooked.
