SHOT BY: @STILLBYHELLY

Tell us about yourself.

“My name is Arielle, I’m 25 years old and I’m from New York. As far as what I do, I’m a delivery supervisor at a restaurant.”

How long have you been a sneaker lover?

“Wow! Since I got my first job at 14 years old and I bought the all black Soldier 3 Lebron’s. When I was younger I was never able to wear sneakers. My mom wanted me to dress like a girl but I love sneakers, so when I was able to buy them with my own money I couldn’t wait.”

Do you remember your introduction to the sneaker game?

“I don’t remember it but when I started, all the Jordan’s started coming out. I was so hype to purchase them with my own money so that was my intro.”

What is your favorite pair of sneakers?

“My favorite pair of sneakers would be the Flu Game 12’s. I’ve always wanted them and I never get a chance to get them but if I can get them those would be my favorite sneakers.”

What are you wearing now?

“Today I’m wearing the 990 New Balance’s. These are my favorite sneakers right now and I wear them everyday. I also have on my favorite lime green top from H&M, my favorite sporty everyday Marc Jacobs bag, and these tan pants. I call them umbrella pants but I love them.”

What is your favorite sneaker colorway?

“My favorite sneaker colorway would be gray or gray and white because it goes with everything.”

If you could collaborate with any sneaker brand, who would you collaborate with and why?

“I would collaborate with Nike because I love the check. I love the check on everthing! It just looks so original and versatile.”

What do you think the sneaker game is missing?

“Even though they are already bringing back all of the sneakers from the 90’s, they should continue to bring them all back. Seeing them now in a new millennium where we’re dressing them differently and not how we wore them back then.”

To keep up with Arielle and see all of her wavy outfits, follow her on Instagram @__Super_a!

SHOT BY: @STILLBYHELLY

Tell us about yourself.

“My name is Aurelia and I’m a 25 year old teacher from Staten Island. I teach science during the summer time and sign language during the school year.”

How long have you been a sneaker lover?

“My whole life! I have never liked wearing dress shoes, I just always felt like it was oppressive. I probably felt that way because I danced for mad long, so being in dance shoes for a long part of the day you just want to put on some sneakers after. But once I started getting older, that really wasn’t important anymore. You know you could buy your own sneakers and you aren’t depending on your mom’s paycheck so then I started to really collect at like 16/17.”

Do you remember your introduction to the sneaker game?

“Yes! My home girl Amber was always into Bape, Supreme, ALIFE, and Married To The Mob so hanging out with her she would put me on to stuff.”

What is your favorite pair of sneakers?

“I love a good Nike Cortez. The Cortez is such a good go-to especially as a teacher since I’m allowed to wear sneakers to work. The Cortez goes with pant suits, dresses or skirts and it’s very comfortable to stand in for 8 hours during the day.”

What are you wearing now?

“I have to give a shoutout to Lou & Grey, they’re one of my favorite stores. I’m wearing a full set from Lou & Grey, my bag is a Bape bag and I have on the Sacai LD Waffle’s.”

What is your favorite sneaker colorway?

“As much as I dislike the color pink in terms of outfits, I love a good pink sneaker. So for example, I got some Air Max 1s that are what they call “millennial pink” but it’s salmon, let’s be real. You can’t go wrong with that. My college graduation I wore a black and white suit and had on some pink Air Max 1s. I love a good pink sneaker.”

If you could collaborate with any sneaker brand, who would you collaborate with and why?

“Honestly, in terms of the brands that I feel support women and support the silhouette of a woman’s foot, I would have to go with Puma. I know that sounds crazy but Puma has always constantly supported good women creative designers. You could look back at Solange’s collab with Puma it was fire. It fits a woman’s foot comfortably and it wasn’t bulky. So yeah, even though I have a lot of Nike, I do love a good Puma too.”

What do you think the sneaker game is missing?

“Yo, more women in the room! Let’s be more specific, more women of color in the room because we have been the template for everything… everything wavy honestly. Especially New York women! No shade to anybody else but you know we’ve always been tomboys so we need us in the room. Not me because I’m a teacher but my homegirls who are here who are into the creative world, they should be in there and I’m going to buy whatever ya’ll make.”

To keep up with Aurelia, follow her on Instagram @BlackMissFrizzle! She is also the curator of @KicksNKreatures so be sure to follow her on there as well!

SHOT BY: @STILLBYHELLY

Tell us about yourself.

“My name is Fiona, I am 25 years old and I am a nanny and Youtuber from the BX.”

How long have you been a sneaker lover?

“I would say I’ve been a sneaker lover for 15 years and I started at 10. I think that was the year when the song Air Force Ones came out with Nelly. I really wanted a pair but my parents were like no because they’re not from here and to them it was like “you’re not gonna assimilate”. I was just like excuse me? I need it! So when I made my first 100 dollars or so I got my first pair. They were mad but I was so proud of myself.”

Do you remember your introduction to the sneaker game?

“I would definitely say through media like watching t.v. and definitely the song itself because like I said, I’m a first generation American and to them it wasn’t in.”

What is your favorite pair of sneakers?

“My favorite pair of sneakers would have to be 1s and any Air Vapormax.”

What are you wearing now?

“So I’m wearing Reimagined 1s and everything that I have on including my purse is from Zara.”

What is your favorite sneaker colorway?

“That’s hard. I like sneakers that look like nobody else is going to cop ‘em but I would say I keep it pretty classic. I love black and red and black and white so my Bred Toe 1s are my ultimate faves.”

If you could collaborate with any sneaker brand, who would you collaborate with and why?

“I have an uncle who is super into Nike and I just felt like that was the wave so I would definitely want to collab with them and have my own Vapormax.”

What do you think the sneaker game is missing?

“Authenticity. A lot of people are either buying it to look like they are into sneakers or they get money and get fly but… they’re not. I would say authenticity.”

Follow Fiona on Instagram @FionaIAm, and check out her YouTube channel! Oh yeah, don’t forget to also follow her online community page for black and brown women, Glaux Getter!

SHOT BY @STILLBYHELLY

Tell us about yourself.

“Hi, My name is Ashley Calderon and I’m 22 years old. I’m currently a full-time student at Long Island University.”

How long have you been a sneaker lover?

“Since middle school.”

Do you remember your introduction to the sneaker game?

“Yes, I do. My first pair of sneakers were a pair of Cool Grey high top 11s.”

What is your favorite pair of sneakers?

“Overall, Bred 1s. Those are definitely my favorite pair of sneakers and I don’t have ‘em.”

What are you wearing now?

“Royal 1s and the rest of my outfit is from Urban Outfitters.”

What is your favorite sneaker colorway?

“Bred 1s.”

If you could collaborate with any sneaker brand, who would you collaborate with and why?

“I would collaborate with Nike. If I could collaborate with a person I would do it with multiple people just so that it would be a cool group project, so Yoon Ambush, Kendrick Lamar and Teyana Taylor.”

What do you think the sneaker game is missing?

“Better colorways for females.”

To keep up with Ashley, follow her on Instagram @Chinuh! Look out for some outfit inspiration!