Sole Obsessed

SOLE OBSESSED Insight From Sneaker Lovers Through The Decades: 90s, 2000s, and 2010s

Alex Morales

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SOLE OBSESSED Alex Morales

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Dedicated to all the sneaker lovers. Our sneakers tell stories, it’s a pleasure sharing these stories and sharing this passion with you all. They won’t understand our obsession.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 8–9

Introduction

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Section 1 The 1990s featuring Gary Llames

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Section 2 The 2000s featuring Kevin Morales

42 – 57

Section 3 The 2010s featuring Phillipos Kaypaghain

58 – 59

Acknowledgements

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INTRODUCTION I was introduced to the sneaker culture by my older brother. My love for sneakers would turn into an obsession and later become a lifestyle. Sneaker culture goes deeper than the shoe, there is an element of nostalgia tied into it. The power of nostalgia is so strong, whether it's through an old photo or a song from your childhood, it’s known that reminiscing increases feelings of belonging and connectedness. There is a fascination with nostalgia because of the ability to unlock a memory and hold onto a feeling that is nearly impossible to get back. At its core, I believe that is why sneaker culture has grown to what it is today because of nostalgia. Sole Obsessed explores sneaker enthusiasts’ favorite memories in their sneakers in an interview format. Entering the world of these sneaker lovers in their journey of sneakers, learning their dislikes/likes about sneaker culture, and their favorite sneaker memory from a shoe in their collection. Many sneaker

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enthusiasts, like myself, hold onto pairs of sneakers for many years not only because of the way it looks, but because they take us to a special memory ultimately creating more value towards that sneaker. I look to tell stories of other sneaker lovers/admirers and hear about the sneakers that hold deep value to them because of the moments they lived in those particular shoes. Sneaker culture is comprised of story telling in many aspects there is a sneaker in every story. There’s an even better story to tell by the person.

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section 1: The 1990s

GARY LLAMES

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When did your fascination with sneakers start – what’s your origin story?

The love for sneakers started when I was in sixth grade playing on my first basketball team. This was around the mid-90s and all the talk was on Michael Jordan. I think he is somewhat of a reason why I fell in love with basketball. At the beginning of season, my buddies on the team and I wanted to get matching shoes. Everyone wanted to be “like mike” [Michael Jordan], I remember getting the latest Air Jordan sneaker that was in stores at the time.

I would say the Air Jordan 14 “Last Shot” was the shoe that introduced me to the world of sneakers and understanding the phenomenon of Jordan. However, the sneaker craze started once I was able to start affording sneakers on my own.

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What is your favorite sneaker memory?

I was a sophomore in college and my roommate told me the latest Jordan was going to release at the local shoe store, DTLR near campus. I was excited because I wanted this shoe so bad, however, it came at a cost because the demand for this sneaker was high and there was talk of people possibly camping outside of the DTLR. My roommate and I refused to leave empty-handed so we camped outside of the store. When we arrived, about ten other people were waiting in line all sitting on folding chairs. It was one of my favorite moments because for the first time I was around people who shared like-minded thoughts as me and shared a passion for sneakers as much as I did. That bond that we shared waiting all night for those sneakers is truly why I love the hobby of sneaker collecting. To this day I am still in contact with a lot of those people.

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What is your earliest sneaker memory?

I simply miss the days of being able to go into the store and successfully get the latest sneaker at the store hassle-free. Nowadays, buying shoes feels like a lottery system, and it's almost impossible to get my hands on sneakers. There were no long lines, and this was before the internet and social media, so there wasn’t this hype built around sneakers. Back then it felt like everyone just

enjoyed sneakers and it felt like everyone who wanted the latest sneaker was able to get them without any problems. The sneaker culture was more of a subculture at the time and whenever I came across others who enjoyed sneakers as much as I did, it felt genuine because you could see passion and appreciation in others.

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The wildest sneaker memory?

To this day I still think about this, I was working retail and the Jordan “Bred 4” was scheduled to release on a Saturday morning.

We were understaffed, there were only two workers on the schedule because usually Saturday morning was slow at the store.

We were also unaware of the attention the shoes brought because the morning of the release there was a long line with security. It got hectic and people were not cooperating making it difficult to open the store. There were limited pairs and certainly not enough

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pairs to go around to everyone. I remember the mall security getting physical with some of the people. Once it was time to open the store, it was hard to identify who was waiting in line and who did not cut the line. My coworker and I set out to measure people’s feet in line to make sure they were not lying about their shoe size. It was the only fair thing we could do to accommodate the madness and avoid any resellers from trying to buy mutiple pairs.

What are the differences of the sneaker culture from the 90s versus today?

What I miss about the culture is bonding over sneakers with others because it feels people are in it for the hype. Sneakers has served as a way to meet new people and the reason for many friendships. I appreciate all the memories I created involving sneakers, not because of the shoes I have, but of the people I have met along the way. The dislike about the culture is to see others is how sneaker became a status symbol. Social media has caused the growth of sneaker culture, creating a status symbol culture and it seem people are only purchasing sneakers for the hype or to make money.

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Which sneaker brings you the most nostalgia?

“The Grape 5 takes me back to my first sneaker campout and the memories of that night. I would say this sneaker brings the most nostalgia and my favorite sneaker memory.”

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Section 2: The 2000s

KEVIN MORALES

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When did your fascination with sneakers start – what’s your origin story?

What started it all for me was the Air Jordan Metallic 5. I remember my dad took me shopping for a new pair of shoes for the new school year – I was starting my first year of middle school. There I was, browsing the shelves and I came across this irregular shaped shoe. I was amazed by the design of the sneaker and instantly fell in love with the shoe. I remember begging my father for the shoes and convincing my dad wasn’t easy.

He eventually said yes and I couldn’t wait to wear them for my first day of school. I wore those shoes practically every day, and to this day I still have them in a relatively pristine condition. I think I was fascinated with the silhouette of the sneaker because it was like nothing I’ve seen before. I did not know much about Michael Jordan, but owning this sneaker was my introduction to him, the legacy he holds, and his iconic sneaker line.

The moment I discovered the Jordan sneaker line, I wanted to own all of his sneakers.

Every shoe had its own unique story, colorway, silhouette, and I instantly became obsessed. I like to consider the Jordan 5 as the gateway shoe to my sneaker addiction.

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What is your favorite sneaker memory?

Almost every shoe I own, I remember what I did in them. My favorite sneaker memory comes pretty recently, I got engaged to my high school sweetheart of ten years and I of course had to get sneakers involved for my engagement. For context, my fiance’s name is Tiffany and one of my all-time favorite sneakers is the Nike SB dunk Tiffany. The sneaker was a collaboration done with

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Tiffany & Co. the jewelry brand and for this engagement, I purchased them as the sneaker I would wear when I got down on one knee and proposed to her. I considered it as a celebratory engagement gift present to myself. I got the shoe and she said yes!

The only thing is I creased my shoe when I proposed to her – but it was for a good cause and so worth it!

What is your earliest sneaker memory?

This was before my obsession with sneakers began, but I remember 50 cent being one of the biggest artists at the time and he released his own sneaker, the G-Unit sneaker.

50 cent’s music at the time was everywhere and those shoes were everywhere as well, I would see them in stores and people wearing them all over the school. I think this memory sticks with me because aside from being a fan of his music, for the first time I noticed the impression sneakers had on towards others and the impact sneakers create. I did not own the sneaker but every time I see photos of that sneaker it takes me back to my childhood. There is another

shoe that sticks with me and it is the Melo 5.5. If you remember Carmelo Anthony was signed to Jordan Brand and I remember buying his sneaker not knowing anything about basketball. I remember being in class and I caught a classmate staring at my shoes the entire class period. It took me a while to notice he was looking at my shoes because the whole time I thought he was staring at something else. I’m not sure why that memory stuck with me but those melo sneakers were underrated.

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Your wildest sneaker memory?

My first job was working retail at a Finishline and the highly anticipated Air Jordan “Concord” 11 was set to release. There was buzz, hype, and all kinds of attention put towards this sneaker unlike I have never seen before. I was scheduled to work the day of release and the feeling around the store was very anxious but with excitement. I was asked to arrive at the store at five in the morning, five hours before the store opened because my manager received noticed that people had been waiting at the mall overnight, so he wanted to combat the hassle of the line before the store opened. During the release, I was in charge of opening and closing the store’s gate because we were letting customers one at a time. I could see numerous people running from store to store to get in line at a chance to get a pair.

Being in charge of the gate I had a chance to interact with the customers and I was amazed to hear how everyone’s night was

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going. One guy told me he hid snuck into the mall and hid from mall security in a custodial cleaning closet so he could be the first person in line. This sneaker created so much stir that they were selling the sneaker for double the price outside. It got to the point where it was not safe to walk out of the store and be seen with the shoes. At the end of my shift, I remember being escorted out the back of the store to avoid any confrontation.

I had to quickly rush to my car so I would not be seen with the shoes. The local news arrived at the mall to capture the attention of the shoes. It was the first time I saw the sneaker culture be at the forefront of the media all because of the Concord 11. Little did I realize the attention and hype around sneaker culture would only increase.

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What are the differences of the sneaker culture from the 2000s versus today?

What I like most about sneaker culture is the memories I was able to create in them.

They are the closest thing to a time traveling to me because when I wear sneakers that I grew up in, my imagination takes me back to the particular moment. The disappointing aspects about sneaker culture is the emergence of the secondary re-sell market.

Sneakers by the year are getting harder to purchase and more expensive. I think largely because of the secondary market ruining the sneaker market and inflating the prices of

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sneakers. However, I respect those who are turning sneakers into an entrepreneurship opportunity. It seems people are only interested in the money aspect of sneakers.

This creates a problem because there are more people buying shoes and reselling for the double the price. Its tough to find the balance and I hope we get closer to find a way where everybody wins.

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Which sneaker brings you the most nostalgia?

“Kobe was the Michael Jordan of my gerneration, he inspired not only me but an entire generation.

This shoe takes me back to a special time in sneaker culture and my personal life. This shoe means so much to me now since his passing, MAMBA FOREVER.”

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Section 3: The 2010s

PHILLIPOS KAYPAGHAIN

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When did your fascination with sneakers start – what’s your origin story?

I am a huge sports fan and influenced by hip-hop culture. I felt like I was bound to come across this obsession for sneakers base off my interests. I always kept up with sports media and the shoes my favorite artists or athletes were wearing. The first thing I would notice is the sneakers they wore. I had no prior acknowledge to the sneakers other than sometimes seeing my classmates in school wear the similar shoes my favorite musicians and athlete wore. I was fascinated with how they looked and whenever I went to the mall, I would try sneakers on. My parents weren’t able to get me the shoes I wanted as a kid, but I could spend all day at the mall admiring the shoes on the way and trying them on thinking to myself one day I could own these sneakers.

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What’s your favorite sneaker memory?

I got to go with my Black Cement 3’s, I wore and scoring the game winning touchdown. those sneakers everywhere and I was on I had a great time and I had on my favorite my way to New York for a school field trip. It shoes, nothing more I could ask for. was my first time going to New York City and wearing them [“Black Cement” Jordan 3] was a must for me. During the field trip we were giving access to tour the new Giants Football stadium and I remember going to the endzone pretending I was catching passes

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Your Earliest Sneaker Memory?

My birthday is around Christmas time and growing up my gifts would count for my birthday and Christmas. That year the Jordan “Black Cement” 3 was releasing around the same time and I asked my parents for this shoe. I waited years for this shoe to release and for the first time I had a chance to get the shoe. They were releasing the shoes early in the morning and I asked my dad to drop me off at the mall early in the morning.

Unfortunately, I did not hear my alarm and I overslept, I was devasted because this was my favorite shoe of all time and the chance had slipped away from me. The following week on Christmas morning, an unexpected

present was under the tree for me. When I opened my gift I froze, and my heart dropped.

The excitement in my face said it all and looked at my parents stunned. It turned out that my father went to the mall on my behalf and somehow got lucky and was able to get me a pair. I forever tie that shoe with this memory and sets as a reminder of how grateful I am to have the parents I had growing up. That was the only Jordan sneaker he ever bought for me and I am glad I can say it was the classic Jordan “Black Cement” 3.

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What’s Your Wildest Sneaker Memory?

The memories are still engraved in my head.

It was my freshman year of high school and the latest Kanye West Yeezy sneaker was releasing. I remember during that day of school it felt like the only topic of the day was this shoe. I remember my classmates talking about skipping class after lunch to head over to the mall so they could be first in line to get the sneakers. I wanted these sneakers so bad, and it felt like everyone had a plan on getting them. After my lunch period, I saw a few upperclassmen students leave campus and head over to their cars driving off heading over to the mall. My parents were of course not going to let me skip school. I couldn’t believe the hype for the sneakers, students risking their chance of getting caught for skipping so they could head over to the mall and not miss out. I am not going

to lie, I was tempted of skipping as well. After School, I met up with my friends to discuss how we are going to get the Yeezy sneaker.

We agreed to sleepover at my house and around 3 am we head over to the mall. The front entrance was locked however, my friend knew a secret entrance and we successfully snuck into the mall. We waited outside of a Footaction for an hour until a security guard noticed more people had been sneaking into the mall. Unfortunately, all of us were kicked out of the mall and we were left with no choice to return home. I wasn’t able to get my hands on the shoe, but the chase to get the sneakers was exciting to me. To this day, I have never put that much effort into getting a shoe. On the brightside, I was able to get my hands on a pair years later.

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What has Changed Since about the Sneaker Culture Since You’ve Started?

What I like about the sneaker culture is discussing about sneakers with my friends.

Anything involving sneakers I tune in and love hearing what others have to say regarding sneakers. My dislikes about sneaker culture are the gatekeeping. The reason I got into sneakers is because I finally found a community, I could share my passions.

Anytime I see others gatekeep and belittle

others for wanting to learn more about sneaker culture it brings shame because I feel like that tarnishes the idea of sneaker culture. The community was built off inclusion and creating bonds, I feel like the sneaker community has moved away from that. I am all for inclusion and sharing the passion of sneaker with anyone.

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Which sneaker brings you the most nostalgia?

“The shoe that started this entire obsession and is an undisputed classic sneaker/silhouette. Every time this sneaker re-releases I get three pairs and wear them untill there are holes at the bottom. I love this sneaker for any occassion. ”

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ACKNOWLEGMENTS Thank you to everyone who made this book possible, Thanks to Gary, Kevin, and Phillipos.

This book would not be possible without your contributions.

This book is dedicated to all sneaker lovers and admirers of sneaker culture. Its not about the quantity of shoes or having the rarest sneakers, but creating memories, sharing stories with these precious sneakers, and being true to ourselves. This community brings people together and at the end of the day they are “just shoes” however, the passion should not go unrecognized.

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SOLE OBSESSED Before Alex discovered the world of design, it was the world of sneakers where his passions lied in. He was exposed to the hobby of sneakers at a young age which years later became a lifestyle. Sole Obsessed shares real stories of sneaker lovers who explain they ubringing in sneaker culture and explains the growth of the culture as the decades progressed. Revealing real people, real stories, and showcasing a real love for the culture, along with the nostaglia that sneakers hold is the value sole obsessed creates. Alex looks to complete his degree in Graphic Design at George Mason University and furthering his endevours in design.

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