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Basketball was definitely the vehicle for my obsession with sneakers. I was really drawn to the sneakers when my favorite NBA players would be playing on the court!
I grew up wearing Reebok sneakers and bought my first Nike performance basketball sneaker when I was only 14 years old. It was Nike Air Max Penny 1 "Orlando" which I bought in 1995. But the Jordans were the ultimate for me, especially the pairs MJ wore during his career with the Bulls.
I was born in the 80s and grew up in the 90s. Let's be honest; the 90s was the pinnacle of basketball sneakers, from Jordans to Reebok Answer, Kamakaze, Shaqnosis, and Pumps. From Nike Foamposites, More Up Tempo to AND1, just to name a few... But c'mon you gotta agree, right!?
At that point, after unboxing and seeing the sneakers, nothing else matters. I totally zone out!
I'm fixated on the sneaker. I'm looking at the materials, the craftsmanship, the color palette, the shape of the toe box, and squeezing the midsole. Then they return to the box, waiting for the day I can pop them on my feet. It's tunnel vision; I don't see or hear anything around me. OMG! I sound like the biggest tragedy. 🤦🏻♂️
Tinker Hatfield definitely changed the game for Nike/Jordan. When I think of "innovation," he's definitely the person that pops into my head. I love Jerry Lorenzo's minimalistic designs, and I still think the FOG x Nike Skylon II and Air Raid are underrated sneakers. I have a love-hate relationship with New Balance bringing in Teddy Santis just because his creative vision has brought the "dad shoe" into the mainstream market, making it harder to cop NB sneakers.
Honorable mention to Charlotte Lee, who designed the NB 327; I just really love that silhouette. I'm a huge fan of Saucony Originals and their amazing food-inspired collaborations. Reebok's classic style is a huge part of my childhood, and I can still remember when they created the Weebok range for kids back in the early 90s. I also loved their 25th-anniversary collection of Ventilators back in 2015.
Anything ATMOS (full stop) too. And I adore ASICS GL3s, especially their 25th-anniversary capsule of 2015. Virgil and his deconstructed/prototype aesthetics were lit too. So many to name! My eclectic sneaker collection represents my love for all sneakers, even Crocs! 🤭
I would love to see Nike or Jordan collaborate with an Aussie sneaker store/brand. A SneakerFreaker Air Max 1 or AJ3 would be fantastic!
I'm a huge fan of all brands and heritage running silhouettes, so I'm currently rocking Reebok Ventilators, which you don't often see. I love what ASICS is about, so there's always a GL3 or 5. I'm a huge fan of Saucony, so there's always one in the rotation and New Balance (before they were cool 🤭).
I love the amount of love Aussie brands have received, so I rock as many Aussie collabs as I can - Reebok x HAL Ventilator, ASICS x SneakerFreaker GL3s, and anything by UpThereStore.
I always have difficulty answering this question because my mentality has always been "retail or on to the next shoe."
However, I'd love to own a pair of the END x Saucony 5000 "Burger" - I'm just not prepared to pay a premium price for a sneaker released eight years ago.
I love supporting small businesses/local brands, so I've always got a Coeka snapback or hoodie ready to go. Also, I love the stuff coming from Okiru; their apparel is on point. So, shoutout to the boys at Okiru and my guy Charlie Coe.
Instagram: @kickinitwithgee
Youtube: Sole Kitchen
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