Sneakerheads — those who collect and trade trendy footwear — are passionate and knowledgeable about the origins and history of sneakers. Those in the know have come to rely on The Vault Lifestyle Boutique in downtown Lynn for finding and stocking the rarest shoes.
Canty and Scott Stornaielo opened the exclusive consignment store in November 2015. Today, the little store at 1 Market St. is considered one of the best sneaker shops on the East Coast. It also sells streetwear apparel and offers custom design and restoration services. Canty and Scott said they have at least 600 exclusive footwear selections.
Before my recent visit to The Vault, I did not understand the sneakerhead subculture phenomenon. Canty and Scott brought me up to speed and I learned there is a story behind every shoe and that the most expensive sneaker at The Vault is the only-pair-in-the-world XX8 Days of Flight by Air Jordan. Canty and Scott will discuss price with those who are interested.
Traditionally, a sneaker endorsed by athletes has had more resale value. Sports brands like Adidas, Nike and others, however, are now also collaborating with celebrities and musicians and have developed a marketing niche — Limited Edition — which generates the hype and fosters a desire to buy, collect, trade or resell.
The Fashion Monger sat down with Canty and Scott, who talked about their shop and the sneakerhead phenomenon.
The Fashion Monger: Tell me about The Vault Lifestyle Boutique. How did you come up with the name?
Canty: We specialize in the passion behind the movement and we are the first shop to offer exclusive amenities such as sneaker restorations, customs, legit checks and concierge services for our clients.
The Vault wasn’t the original name, the initial name was “The Mint” but that name was already taken.
Scott: I wanted something along the lines of a bank vault to showcase the most valuable and rarest sneaker collection.
What motivated you to open a sneaker consignment business?
Scott: Sneakers are my passion; my dream was to be the proprietor of my own business one day. I have over 20 years of professional and personal experience in this marketplace, which plays a major role in influencing the streetwear scene in Boston and surrounding areas.
Canty: We got into the business before the sneaker explosion hit the mainstream market and we saw the opportunity to be the forefront of the movement.
What is your definition of a sneakerhead?
Canty: A sneakerhead is a collector of beautiful footwear. The collection is not gauged by price or quantity but by passion. This lifestyle is triggered by an emotional bond. Then there are sneakerheads who follow trend because the celebrity is wearing it. There are sneakerheads and there are hypebeasts (a person who follows a trend to be cool or in style). They are completely different but can live in one person simultaneously.
You have a great selection of trendy footwear, and streetwear apparel. How do you stay on trend and how does footwear play into fashion?
Canty: It’s our job to stay on trend. We are hard at work studying trends, designers and fashion, which allows us to stay ahead of competition. As for fashion, one of the hottest designers of this decade (is) God to the streetwear: Virgil Abloh, fashion designer for Louis Vuitton’s men’s collection and the first designer for Kanye West Yeezy collection. Currently, his brand Off White is one of the hottest streetwear brands on the market.
What makes a sneaker desirable?
Canty: Supply and demand. We grew up in the ’90s and both come from urban neighborhoods. We didn’t grow up with a lot of money, so what little we had was spent on sneakers. Back in the day, it was less about clothes or fashion, but what you were rockin’ on your feet.
Scott: Now, the sneaker scene went from a bunch of kids showing off their footwear as a form of self-expression, to becoming the centerpiece of mainstream fashion starting from the feet up. The audience is everyone from celebrity Jerry Seinfeld to Travis Scott to the common everyday folks like you and me.
When did you realize the sneaker business could be so profitable?
Canty: We’ve been in this industry for a long time. We saw the big corporations trying to buy into urban culture, so we took the chance and opportunity to go into business for ourselves. We are the face of this culture and we wanted to be able to offer our customers a different outlet within their own community by people they know and trust.
Scott: The reseller market is basically supply and demand — some may refer to it as the sneaker stock market. Our services offer people to get streetwear at the very best price on the market that they cannot purchase in stores.
What about the sneaker display “Jordan Clock” on the wall of The Vault?
Scott: The featured clock represents the twelve pairs of Air Jordan sneakers in that exact order, valued at $30,000 total. The Jordan Clock has a Jordan edition at each hour mark; #1 on the clock is the first pair of Jordans ever made and #2 is the second pair, etc. Each shoe represents a rare collaboration with specific designers or released in limited edition. Each pair is a collectible and has a story: Celtic Ray Allen (8 o’clock) is worth $6,000 and is exclusively at The Vault.
Do you remember your first pair of Jordans?
Scott: Yeah, I remember how I got in so much trouble by mother because I bought Air Jordan 1’s (black and red “BRED”) for 65 dollars when I was 10 years old in 1985. I resold them last year for $1,000.
The Vault Lifestyle Boutique, 1 Market Street, Suite 1A, Lynn. 781-595-9995.
