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Shoe lover can't kick trainer-buying habit despite spending £30,000

"Mikayla Penny" (2024-03-27)


A shoe lover 'addicted' to buying Adidas trainers has no plans to stop - despite spending more than £30,000 on his obsession.

James Penty says his collection is his pride and joy and he even blew off a romantic Valentine's dinner at the last minute to fly to get his hands on a pair of trainers.

The 33-year-old has queued for up to 23 hours at a time and once drove more than 200 miles to get his hands on a vintage pair.

His addiction began back in 2005 when he bought a pair of rare city series trainers. 

James Penty from Sheffield has spent more than £30,000 on Adidas trainers since 2005

His addiction began in 2005 and has amassed a staggering haul of more than 400 trainers

Collectable trainers are known to shoot up in price in the years after they are produced

Petty has insured his collection though to make sure they are protected in case of damage 

Penty collects new and vintage trainers and has even flown to Ireland to pick up a pair

Since then the care worker has amassed a staggering haul of more than 400 pairs of trainers - and he doesn't even wear half of them.

As with most collectors, he keeps around 60 per cent of his collection in the box and does not wear them out and about to ensure they stay in mint condition.

Collectable trainers rocket in price in the months and years after their release due to their limited availability.

Penty, who lives by the motto 'always judge a man by his footwear', has even insured his collection with a specialist firm to protect against fire or damage.

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He said: 'I just love the brand and I love the history of Adidas.

'I love learning about the old pairs and the banter with fellow collectors when we're queuing up for a pair.

'It's a lifestyle choice and I'm obsessed with them.

'I first bought them from the shops just to wear, but then I started to get into the rare and vintage pairs and started collecting them.'

Penty, of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, has driven as far as Southampton to queue up for a limited edition pair.

This Ardwick pair is very rare with only 500 made and is his most expensive pair at £800

This limited edition Stockholm SNS pair is his most prized possession with only 390 made  

The Athen (left) and Wien trainers are part of his mass array of vintage trainers he has bought 

His obsession has caused friction in relationships, with ex-girlfriends often commenting that if he would choose the trainers over them if forced.

And one poor girlfriend even missed out on a romantic Valentine's Day meal because a store in Ireland 유로247주소 was having an exclusive sale on.

He said: 'Five years ago I got a really good deal of Adidas Glasgows in their twinned cities range that were going on sale in Dublin.

'I had a Valentine's Day meal planned, but I cancelled it at the last minute to fly to Ireland with my dad to buy the trainers.

'She had been with me for five years, so she knew what I was like, she was fine with it.'

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Penty said he buys between six and eight pairs a month and scours online sites for rare classics.

His limited Ardwick edition one of only 500 pairs made, are the most expensive he has, which cost £800 - and they aren't even his favourite.

His most prized possession is a pair of limited edition Stockholm SNS, of which only 390 pairs were made.

This pair was designed to commemorate the 1972 Olympic Games which were held in Munich

The 33-year-old has become friends with other collectors also fascinated by Adidas shoes

He added: 'Often Size?

will have an exclusive sale of a limited edition run and announce it a few days before.

'I always make sure I'm there.'

Among his collection is a limited edition pair of Liam Gallagher trainers and a pair that were made to commemorate the 1972 Olympics in Munich.

He added: 'I had a pair of Adidas Kicks as a kid, but it wasn't until I was in my early twenties that I fell in love with the original trainers.

'I bought my first pair of 2003 Dublins and I was hooked.

'I looked into and researched the history of the company and the different shoes they brought out and why.

'For me it's more than just wearing a pair of trainers.

'It's the story behind the shoe and the thrill of having something rare that only a very select few people have.'

Penty and his dad queued for 19 hours to get four pairs of limited edition Liverpool trainers

Penty ensures that a lot of his collection remain in mint condition by keeping them in their box

Penty, a care support worker, always takes his dad Alan on jaunts to buy trainers from stores across the UK and Ireland.

And he has made friends in fellow collectors who share his obsession with the classic shoes.

Earlier this month, Penty and his dad queued for 19 hours so they could their hands on a pair of limited edition Liverpool trainers in the company's city series.

They queued through the night for the trainers, released as part of Size?'s 20th anniversary celebrations, which saw just 2,020 pair go on sale across Europe.

Penty added: 'I'd already been to Liverpool to get some from the Size?

there and these are the 20th anniversary edition so they are quite rare.

'I've got four pairs of them now.'