Five Sneakerheads Share Their Top 3 Favorites

Ian, 21

1. Adidas SNS Ultraboost (Black & White)
My favourite pair of sneakers from my collection is undoubtedly, the SNS Adidas Ultraboost 1.0 in the black & white colourway. It’s called SNS because it’s a collab between SneakersNstuff and Adidas, and I knew I just had to cop as soon as they dropped – I actually got this pair recently from a trade. Bartered off a pair of Yeezys that I won from a raffle and another pair of shoes just to get these, so you can imagine how coveted they were to me. Most people would think I’m crazy for getting rid of my Yeezys, but deep down inside, a part of me didn’t really like how common Yeezys were becoming. I mean, I like Yeezys too, but I would say I’m a businessman first, and a sneakerhead later. Who knows what the future has in store but I’d probably sell them off because the resell value is pretty high and I don’t want to one day have to sleep in the streets while wearing them. I live in London and we really exhaust our feet there, so this pair is a godsend.

2. Adidas NMD Japan Boost Black
The classic black/white colour-way can do no wrong, and it’s one of the reasons why I love this pair. It’s really stylish and sophisticated yet looks cool with any outfit. I got it from a reseller, but he sold it to me at retail. At RM700, it was definitely a steal. You don’t even have to think twice, just slip them on and off you go. The NMDs add just the exact touch of style that can elevate even the most basic of outfits so I usually wear it with shorts and a plain tee. Needless to say, they’re super comfortable due to the Boost technology, and they’re made out of both regular and primeknit mesh. I’ve actually ordered a pair in the French Beige colour-way and I’m just really anticipating getting them.

3. Nike Air Jordan 1
Jordans are fo’sho the “go-to” when you wanna change up your look and wear a pair of high top sneakers. They’re great quality since they’re made out of leather and super durable. I can only ever imagine myself wearing them with black skinny jeans as that’s the best way to really make them pop. I’m a proud owner of the Jordan Royals but my one true love that I’m still waiting for are the Jordan Breds (black & red). It was infatuation at first sight, I was like ‘dayum!’ when I initially saw them.

Eddie, 35

1. Adidas Ultraboost Triple White 2.0s
As with any other fad, you’d either love it or hate it.  I’m not one to catch onto fads, so originally I didn’t get the hype and couldn’t fathom why people were going crazy over a simple pair of running shoes? Sue me, it’s probably not the best looking shoe, but as the old saying goes, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it. After having owned a pair and jetsetting all around the world with it, I now understand why people are so in love with it. It’s light, easy to pack, and of course, super, super comfortable. My favourite colour-way would probably be the Triple White 2.0s. At one point of time I had 4, but who needs 4 of the same shoe right? So I got rid of those by reselling and swapping.

2. Nike Mayfly Woven
Born as a running shoe, but few years down the line, Nike gave it a makeover and produced a slip on version that debuted in 4 colour-ways (mustard, grey, navy, black). As in typical Eddie fashion, I bought all 4, and that’s just a hint of how much I like them. Few people are fans of this shoe because they’re not “hype” enough. They appealed to me ‘cos I’m not the kind to jump onto bandwagons simply because I don’t wanna end up looking like a carbon copy of everyone else. It was sort of the left-wing choice because this shoe is really an acquired taste. Guess what? I’ve even bought another 2 pairs just to double up on the colour-ways as they’re pretty hard to come across in this part of the world.

3. Visvim FBT Prime
Visvim’s that secret speakeasy bar that not many people know about. The masses always think you have to own a pair of Nikes and Yeezys to be in with the scene, but if you’re a true sneaker fan, Visvim really has to be in your list. It doesn’t have the most conventional design — it looks like a unique Japanese inspired boot. Speaking about the design, it’s a known fact that it really does divide opinions. You can be on either ends of the spectrum but I guess that’s what makes it a statement shoe. Back in the day, the retail price at RM2000 was staggering and I wasn’t going to drop that amount of money on it. Like your first love you never got over, it couldn’t get out of my mind for the next decade so when I was in Dubai for a sneaker convention recently, I had to cop. I’ve only ever worn it once in Hong Kong. It’s something I’ve waited my whole life to have and now that I have it, I just wanna keep it on display at home and admire its beauty.

Bryan, 22

1. Stash x Reebok Pump Fury City Camo Pack (Blue)
You know what really got me into the whole sneaker scene? These kicks right here. There’s always gonna be a soft spot in my heart for this pair as they were my first ever Reebok Pumps. The abstract and the camo prints on the shoes just speak for themselves – they’re a fun kind of shoe, and I personally am a huge fan of loud designs and colors especially on sneakers. How else can a sneaker express itself right? Nothing was going to stop me from getting this pair for myself so I headed down south across the causeway just to be able to call them mine.

2. Epitome x Saucony Shadow 5000 “Righteous One”
There’s nothing else that screams “basic” quite like owning the same pair of sneakers as everyone else. I’m a diehard fan of both Reebok Pumps and Saucony… well at least not the regular overhyped sh*t that 30,000 other people own. The colour-way on these babies stole and melted my heart the moment I laid eyes on them. The Tiffany Blue colour isn’t just iconic — it’s really aesthetic and pleasing as well too. Pay attention to the detailing — it has scale-like prints on the upper part of the shoe that resembles the “big fish” backstory behind it.

3. VANS Era
There’s two things in life you just can’t go wrong with – indomee telur at the mamak, and Vans. Vans have and will always be everyone’s favourite. They’re affordable, they’re mad casual and match basically everything – not to mention the fact that they’re actually comfortable and last for-freakin-ever. (Like the Chuck Taylor effect, these too usually look better beat up).

Guibo, 32

1. Clarks Wallabees
Back in the 90’s, if you were a fan of the Wu Tang clan who were flexing this out in every single music video possible,  you definitely had rocked these. It’s even earned itself a line in one of their rap songs, Gravel Pit. It goes something like, “Wu Tang gotta be, the best thing since Starks and Clarks Wallabees”. Not only is it stylish, the comfort level of these are unreal. I called them my “lucky shoes” because I bought them for my very first date. And let’s just say… I got lucky.

2.  Adidas Forums
Only because they were super underrated. Nothing fresher than this pair of shoes, and the versatility of it really makes it one of the top in my list. Lows, mids and highs… you name it, they had it. I’d say these are a perfect opponent to the Nike Air Force 1s. These were the only shoes that I could hit three pointers with. All my other basketball shoes failed me except for these babies. I have them in white and blue because I’m AZN like that.

3. Jordan 1s
Needless to say, these are a timeless classic. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love these. The best part about these kicks are the different colour-ways, namely Breds, Royals and Shadows. You can wear them with everything, from shorts to sweats to jeans, and they’ll still look fresh as f*ck. Bought my first pair of J’s with my first paid DJ gig back in high school and the shoes I had to cop had to be the 1’s!

Julian, 23

1. Adidas ZX Flux ‘London’
These are part of a series called the City Pack and the shoes in this collection got their namesake from major cities in the world, namely Berlin, Shanghai, Moscow, NYC, and of course the one I have, London. I was fortunate enough to be one of the limited 300 owners worldwide. If you can’t go to London, you can at least wear it. The shoes have a London map printed on it. Trust me, it was really hard for me to locate this shoe in my size. I spent 1 and a half years searching for these gems.

2.  Puma x Sneaker Freaker Blaze of Glory Friends and Family (F&F) ‘Shark Bait’
Talk about ‘exclusive’. If you’re not part of the ‘friends and family’ of Puma and Sneaker Freaker, consider it almost impossible to cop this pair. There are only approximately 40 pairs known to exist, that’s just as rare as the Amur Leopard!  This shoe is really controversial as it’s made from authentic sharkskin. Way to get in trouble with PETA. I got this pair at RM4,000, and it really taught me a lesson about what it means to be a true collector and not just a hypebeast (Also what it means for Chinese people to like me better). I almost gave up on this pair, but all good things come to those who wait, and it came to me eventually.

3. Asics Gel Lyte III x Colette x LaMJC ‘Sold Out’
There are only 100 of these worldwide, so you can imagine how hard it was for me to locate, since nobody wants to let go of them. It comes with a matching duffle bag as well, which is a nice touch. The colour-way was inspired by the colours of Asics, Colette and LaMJC paying tribute to the 80’s and 90’s runners performance models. The moment I laid eyes on them I knew I wanted them for sure, and I was even pretty sure of getting them right there and then, only for my hopes to be shot down by its exorbitant prices and the rarity of it. I took it off my checklist (yes, I have one), but one day luck came through and I chanced upon a livestream video of someone at a sneaker convention in Thailand. By hook or by crook I had to have them, so I tracked down the seller, sold part of my collection for this pair and rummaged RM7,820 to finally be able to call these mine. No regrets.

no. 618033988, 25

1. Adidas Ultraboost Consortium x KITH NYC
It was the only model in its silhouette at that time. I didn’t get it for retail, unfortunately. As with every other shoe at resell value, a little extra moolah was required, but they were worth every single penny. I’d say the construction of this shoe is incredible, and it’s pretty one of a kind, so I really like that.  I have it in the multicolor colorway, and they’re just everything a great shoe should be. They’re super comfy, super unique. All I can say is that they’re just good stuff.

2. Hender Scheme Manual Industrial Products 10
That’s the ‘official name’ for them, but everyone goes by a nickname and this pair is no exception. They’re known as the Hender Scheme Jordan 4’s. They’re made out of patina leather and the backbone of this shoe is sort of like a dress shoe sole, so essentially they’re ‘big boy sneakers’. Absolutely stunning and, like wine and Pierce Brosnan, the leather looks better with time. They’re all handmade in Japan and that fact alone says a lot about the quality. Think J4’s on a diet. J4’s are usually really big and chunky, but these babies are slim and form fitting. I prefer the natural tan color-way so you can really get up close and admire the details of the shoes.

By Camillia Lim