From Trash to Treasure
The rising popularity of streetwear fashion has led Brahmas to make big bucks buying and selling items on social media platforms. Junior Ernesto Perez, sophomore Nathan Porter and junior Rohun Sharma are among the student entrepreneurs who have scored successes in this online market.
Perez started his instagram account, @_coldkicks_, in October, and has already sold more than 20 pairs of designer shoes, including brands like Jordan, Revenge X Storm and Yeezy. These brands are normally sold at prices ranging from $150 to $300, but Perez sells them for slightly cheaper, with most of his items ranging around $100 to $300. Perez made a profit of $1200 in the month of Feb.
“I do a lot of research on different types of shoes, because a lot of people don’t truly know the value of some shoes,” Perez said. “One man’s junk can be another man’s treasure. [Even] if a shoe is worn, you can fix it up and sell it to make profit.”
Perez was able to start his small business after buying used Jordan Six Carmines for $50. Although his parents thought his purchase was foolish, he sold the shoes at the Los Angeles second-hand store Round Two for $200. More recently, Perez sold a pair of Off White toddler-sized shoes for $200.
“I want to start a clothing line in the future because a lot of my clients really enjoy doing business with me,” Perez said. “Hopefully I become well known and have people wearing my merchandise, and I also want to start selling pairs of shoes to celebrities.”
Porter started his Instagram account, @streetheat.sell, in January. Before Porter’s Instagram account began, he worked small jobs like bridge card game tournaments and doing chores for his grandparents until he could afford his first pair of designer shoes. Later, Porter found a passion for street wear and started selling and trading apparel with others.
“I wanted to have a way to make money, and this is the best way to do it,” Porter said. “I wanted to do what I love, and buying and selling shoes and other clothing is what I love.”
The boys, including Sharma, who is in charge of @figure.sell on Instagram, sell not only shoes but other clothing items by high-end popular brands such as Supreme and Anti Social Social Club.
“I see kids all the time at school wearing streetwear, and it’s very interesting to see different styles,” Sharma said. “The trend is growing so fast, and more and more people are accustomed to wearing nicer clothes than they did before.”
Although this trend of buying, selling and trading streetwear is male-dominated, Sharma takes notice of apps like Heroin that serve as an online market geared toward women.
“They [girls] obviously have a different style and gravitate towards brands like Brandy Melville, but the buying and reselling of clothing is still as big of a business for girls,” Sharma said. “I believe fashion can be something that can be enjoyed by anyone no matter what gender.”
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