Sneakerheads have been patiently waiting for the upcoming Kanye West x adidas collection and many are wondering about price point, availability, and most importantly, design. On the other side of the equation, lost on the minds of your average sneakerhead, is the business side of this collection. Specifically, sales.

SportsOneSource analyst and Forbes "Sneakernomics" blogger Matt Powell recently examined past celebrity sneaker collabs to gauge the level of success of Kanye's adidas partnership.

Powell states that there is often a misconception that just because a limited sneaker is in high demand means it will do well on a larger level and cites the mass market failures of Jay Z and 50 Cent's Reebok sneakers. "There simply was not enough of a market for the amount of pairs manufactured," Powell said. "Markdowns were taken, orders cancelled and the bulk of the shoes were liquidated through off price retailers."

Powell believes that a limited sneaker release and the high resale value that typically follows—both of which fall in line with the Nike Air Yeezy hype—is not an accurate indicator to determine commercial success. "Brands who try to commercialize limited edition products do so at their own peril. If history repeats itself the Adidas/West and [Pharrell] Williams collaborations will not be commercially successful," Powell said.

[via Forbes]