Singaporean Sneakerhead and FOG Fan: Jimin Toh

What was the moment you first got drawn to sneakers, and which pair of sneakers triggered your passion?

I think it was around 2016, during the peak of the Adidas Yeezy. Before that, I was never really into sneakers all my life. I would only own a few sneakers that I would just wear anywhere. But most of the time, I would be in flip-flops like most Singaporeans.

However, the Yeezy Boost really got my interest in sneakers, and I was intrigued by Kanye's Yeezy style overall.

What’s one moment or trend in the history of sneaker culture that resonates with you?

I think the classic Converse All Star was probably one of the longest threads in sneaker culture, which will out the last thread or hype.

When I was in primary school, my family couldn't afford to buy me anything branded, so my mom would buy those $5 knockoff Converse for me. I think it was part of the school dress code to have a white pair of sneakers, and I had to wash the shoes and use the shoe whitener every week cause it gets dirty really easily.

In some way, the Converse All Star did resonate with me, maybe indirectly.

Please describe how it feels to you when you get and wear a new pair of kicks?

Well, it definitely feels good to put on a fresh pair of kicks. I would probably snap some photos while wearing them too.

What are some of your favorite creators/designers or brands and why?

I admire the American designer - Jerry Lorenzo of Fear of God. Earlier I talked about how Kanye's Yeezy boost got me into sneakers. Thanks to social media like Instagram, I got to ID some of the clothing he wore, and hence got me more interested in streetwear and fashion in general. Probably, more than half of my wardrobe is Fear of God/Essentials, etc.

As much as the Yeezy hype was at its peak back then, the Fear of God 4th collection double knee distressed jeans was probably one of the holy grails of streetwear items. So much so that there was an influx of many fast fashion brands copying that pair of jeans. You would probably remember everyone wearing some skinny, knee-blown distress jeans all over IG.

Besides his brand, I am also a fan of the stuff he wears, his vintage tees collection, his aesthetic, and overall swag.

What is one sneaker collaboration that doesn’t exist, but you wish/think should exist?

Not any in particular in my mind right now. There are way too many collaborations these days, and I feel the exquisiteness of collaboration has been diluted.

What are some of the current pairs of sneakers in your rotation?

Fear of God California, Fear of God Loafers, Visvim Moc, Adidas Samba, Adidas slides, Fear Of God Vans, and Fear of God Nikes are some of my current and more regular rotations. I try to rotate all my shoes as much as I can.

I don't really wear Adidas Yeezy now. I probably only kept one pair with me.

What is your ultimate holy grail sneaker that you have not managed to acquire so far?

Hmm, I think there is a pair I have wanted for a long time, but I still haven't found one in my size in decent condition and price—the Y3 Pureboost ZG Knit OG. And yes, it was worn by Jerry Lorenzo.

Other than kicks, what are some of your daily essentials or treasured items?

I collected some vintage tees over the years, which are probably my daily essentials; I would wear them with almost everything. Some pieces are rarer, which I treasure too.

There is also a pair of double-knee panel selvage denim jeans from Fear of God which a friend from LA bought for me. I think they only produced two pairs per size, and I was really happy to own one.

Where can people find you on social media?

Instagram: @jmntoh