The Nike LD Waffle Sacai was one, if not the, hottest shoe of 2019. It first debuted in the Sacai’s Spring/Summer 2019 show, and later, was further showcases during the Paris Fashion Week. Alongside it was also the Nike Sacai Mid Blazer that, although less popular, was nevertheless still a highly coveted shoe.

Notwithstanding, the state of the Sacai collaborations has since seen a dramatic change in tone and hype. Whilst its Vaporwaffle seems to be sitting at a price of just above retail (thereby reflecting moderate interest), their Blazer Low counterparts seem to be doing much worse, evincing lacklustre popularity. The question then is what happened to the strong Sacai wave that we saw just 3 years earlier.

One, it may be argued that the waning interest is a direct result of Sacai’s efforts in pumping out colourway of colourway of the slightly differing sneaker models. Whilst it may be the case that the silhouette was altered, and indeed it was in the Nike Vaporwaffle, its overall vibe and styling remains the same. Since sneaker head demand in the marketplace is a direct result of supply and demand, the increase in the supply of what is essentially the same shoe would lead to a decreased in the demand for the same.

Two, and interrelatedly, it might also be said that it is the not-as-ideal colour ways being introduced by Sacai in the Vapourwaffle that has led to its fall from grace. Alternatively, it might be the design itself, given that there are aspects of it that are now much more bulbous, such as its thicker-than-before midsole and overall larger shape that might not sit well with the casual sneaker head.

Curiously, however, the newer releases in the Nike LD Waffle Undercover, Fragment and CLOT collaborations failed to likewise attract any significant interest from sneakerheads and the general population. Perhaps this suggests that it is no fault of the changed shape of the sneaker model, but instead just a general fatigue for the Sacai line of Nike sneakers.

Three, perhaps it might also be the case that the general public just does not the much interest in the Sacai blazer model. Whilst its previous mid-top versions did moderately well, it may be posited that this was only the case because it was ‘riding on the coattails’ of the immense popularity of the Sacai waffle in 2019, creating a sort of ‘must-get’ effect on sneakerheads for any Sacai model at that time. In 2022, however, this has largely changed.

One noticeable difference from the Sacai Blazer Lows from the regular blazer is in its overall shape and height. As a person on the shorter end myself, the fact that the Sacai Blazer Low ends above the ankle did put me off towards the shoe, and saw me deciding to sell it off in the end. Further, the colour ways here can no longer be the blame; arguably, the black/white and white/patent colour ways of the recent Blazer Low drops mirrored those of the much more popular LD Waffles in 2019, yet they saw substantial differences in interest.

In addition, the lack or dearth of collaborations cannot be to blame here. KAWS is an immensely powerful drawer of crowds and hype, and yet even it failed to generate substantial interest in the Sacai Blazer Low model.

Nevertheless, the abovementioned observations made are not necessary bad things. For one, it would mean that sneaker enthusiasts who like the Sacai models of late no longer have to fend off resellers just to obtain the sneaker at a not-too-obscene overpay. Second, it would also mean that the Sacai would now have a “if you know you know” vibe that some people identify with. Three, in general, lower prices are just better for the consumer, and indeed, Sacai Nike collaborations might be seen to be very reasonably priced as compared to their apparel counterparts. At the end of the day, this author submits that we should stick by the motto: if you want it, go get it.