Images via Complex

by Brendan Dunne

It turns out there are people who exclusively seek out fake sneakers.

They hang out in places like /r/repsneakers, a subreddit dedicated to fake footwear, they buy replicas of sought-after shoes from shady websites, and they break down the differences between fakes and authentic pairs to educate anyone who's interested.

Complex did some digging on this strange subculture of the sneaker world, catching up with some of the community's leaders. One of them, Matt, an 18-year-old from Australia, even reported getting a compliment on his fake "Red October" Yeezys from a Nike employee.

"Wow I love your Red Octobers," a worker at a Nike outlet near Melbourne reportedly told him. Matt said that when he told the employee they were fake, he wasn't fazed, responding with, "I know. Where can I get some?"

Go deeper into the rabbit hole via Complex and check these photos of fake Yeezy 350 Boosts vs. the real thing for evidence of how much more convincing fake sneakers have gotten in recent years.