Kick Spotlight: Josh D.

With the 2nd installment of Kick Spotlight I bring you Josh D. form San Jose, CA. We ran across each other shortly after the Jordan XI Playoff (some of you know them as 'Breds') release last year, I believe, and have been admiring each other's IG collection from afar ever since. Josh has been collecting for a while now, and being on the west coast gives him a different perspective that we in the Midwest might have. Take a few minutes to read about his respect for the sneaker game, and don't forget to follow him on IG and Twitter!

Profile: 

Name: Josh D.
Age: 25
Size: 11
Instagram:  @Rezrection
Twitter:  @Sjflip4o8
Location: San Jose, Ca

What is the first shoe that you remember buying, or that started it all for you?

When I was just a kid, my parents never really wanted me to spend too much on sneakers, so they would buy me Nike Dunks, which was within their price range. The Nike SB’s always had a place in my heart as a kid. I remember the first shoe that made me fall in love was the Nike SB De La Soul.  I remember people would sell them for around $100 plus, which I thought at the time was ridiculous. When I got my first job, I was able to get me a DS pair, and I still have them in my collection to this day. Everyone that I know thinks Jordans were the sneaker that did it for me, but believe it or not, SBs still hold a big place in my heart.  

Josh's Circle of Heat

What's your favorite part of the sneaker culture?

The diversity and history that sneakers have impacted on people across the globe. Every time I see someone who is not a sneakerhead, they would always look at me (us) as someone who’s just wasting money on shoes, but there’s a lot of history behind the sneaker. That’s what makes the sneaker culture nostalgic, and of course special to me. Not everyone is a sneakerhead even though it may seem like it nowadays.  

Footage from a sneaker release gone wrong

What's your least favorite part of the sneaker culture?

Violence. If there’s one thing that I do not tolerate, its people killing each other (literally) for a pair of sneakers. I have seen some pretty bad things ever since I developed a passion for collecting sneakers, but over the years, it has jumped to a whole new level (not in a good way). Back in the day, I remember seeing Jordans stay on shelves weeks after their release date, but now, it seems like ever y sneaker sells out instantly and pops up on craigslist/eBay for double the retail price in less than 24 hours. People are driven by greed no matter what the hobby is nowadays. I understand everybody is trying to hustle out there, but it’s a shame to see how the game turns out sometimes.

Part of Josh's collection

How many shoes would you say you own?

There was a point in time where I was close to 200 plus, but my collection has changed over time. I try to include all my sneakers in a monthly rotation. I could rock a different sneaker for over 4 months straight, so sometimes it can be difficult to figure out which sneaker was taken out for a walk. Over the years, I learned that it’s not about how many sneakers you have, but what you have in your collection that makes it special.

What's your favorite sneaker brand and why?

Nike was always the brand for me, especially Nike SB, which was all about their concept/themed shoes back in the early 2000s. Those silver, Pink and purple boxes were always eye candy for me.  When I first saw the Nike SB De La Souls, I was blown away with the design on that shoe. Everything about it caught my eye i.e. Materials used, color scheme, design of the shoe etc. I still buy Nike SB’s to this day, but they need to bring those creative themed shoes back, because they don’t make them like they used to. 

What're your top 3 sneakers in your collection?

It’s very difficult for me to pick just 3, since I love all my kicks, but I would have to go with my 2001 Air Jordan Bred 1s, Nike SB De La Souls, and Galaxy Foamposites. All three shoes have a special meaning to me.  

What're the top 2 sneakers you wish you had most?

The Air Yeezy 2 Solar Reds, and Nike Air Mags. I don’t think I need to further discuss this question hah.

What's the 1 sneaker you'd like to see re-released?

I don’t really like seeing things “re-release” because there’s no fun in having everybody rock the same thing on a daily. That’s just my opinion though. However, if I could pick just one, I would have to choose the Air Yeezy 2 Solar Reds, because if you have no connections in the shoe game, you’re going to have to sacrifice an arm and a leg just to get a pair. That shoe itself created some long lasting effects in the game. You see all these other sneakers inspired by the Yeezy’s. That’s when you know the shoe made a big impact.

What's the first thing you look at when you open up a new box of shoes?

The quality of a sneaker is something that I value, as I’m sure other sneakerheads would agree with me. It’s obvious that Jordan brand has declined in terms of the quality of the shoe over the years, and sometimes I see some crazy quality control issues i.e. Jumpman upside down on the Retro XIs, or missing Jumpmans. I don’t understand how those types of mistakes pass quality inspection and are put out in stores. 

What's your favorite material on a shoe?

Suede has always been a big plus in my book. The texture, and way it makes the shoe look is just a work of art to me. I know some people might laugh reading this because they might say “they’re just shoes”, but I also respect the craftsmanship and art that is put onto a shoe. 

What's your most memorable campout or buying experience?

I’ve done a lot of campouts but the most memorable campout that I have experienced that I can remember would probably be for the 2011 Air Jordan XI Retro Concords. That was one of the longest campouts that I had to go through, but was also one of the most successful campouts that I witnessed. The best thing about that campout was not just being able to cop the shoe, but the people that I met there. Almost everyone that I camped out with had good vibes, and I still keep in touch with them to this day (you guys know who you are). There were no complications/violence that happened that night, and I definitely enjoyed the experience, especially since the manager of the store gave us hot chocolate/food. 

What's the next shoe that you have your eye on?

I was really looking forward to the Lightning Ivs dropping in November, but I haven’t heard any updates on it recently. I also got my eye on the Laney Vs dropping next week, but anything could happen. Other than that, I got a lot of high expectations for the LeBron XI and the anticipated Kobe 9 design. 

Any parting words?

WEAR your kicks, and buy what YOU like! Don’t feel pressured into believing that you have to get what everyone else is wearing, because by the end of the day, it’s YOUR collection. Whether its Jordans, Dunks, Blazers, or even Chuck Taylors. Wear what makes you happy. Also, one of the most important things that I learned being in the game is that, don’t feel pressured into feeling like you have to catch up with every other sneakerhead out there by buying every release that drops every week. Shoes will always be around no matter what. As long as you got your priorities straight, you got nothing to worry about.