I've collected and sold Nike sneakers for 20 years. Spotting fakes is harder than ever, but here's what I look for.

Greg Lam (left) and Shu Cheng (right) are co-owners of Queens, New York's first sneaker consignment shop, .IMAGE, opened in 2011.

Amelia Kosciulek

• Shu Cheng has been collecting and selling high-end sneakers for over 20 years.
• He opened Queens' first sneaker consignment shop in 2011, where he deals with fakes regularly.
• Fakes are harder to spot now than ever, but some things he looks for are color, shape, and smell.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shu Cheng...