My Name is Gerrit and I live nearby Frankfurt, Germany. I'm married and have a little 4-year-old son that is being raised as a future sneakerhead :-). I'm not only collecting sneakers but I'm a sneaker customizer also. I mainly collect and customize retro runners like the Air max 1 or the Gel Lyte III.

I started collecting sneakers about 15 years ago. I remember seeing some pairs that I've never seen before on the internet and started researching more and more. Until that point of time I did only know footlocker and other big retailers and didn't have a clue about all those little sneaker boutiques that carry a very different line up incl. limited collabs. A few years later I started customizing my own kicks. The initial starting point on customizing was that I ordered a custom Roshe Run from a well known customizer in the US. Once I received the pair I was super disappointed about the poor quality and execution of the work. I was convinced that I could do a better job myself and customized my first pair shortly after. My first pair was even before that time though. I think it was an early version of the Nike Vandal High.

My favorite Brands are Nike, Asics, New Balance, Diadora and Adidas -  so pretty much all the bigger ones.
The biggest part of my collection is most likely Nike (Mainly Air Max 1s) but quickly followed by Asics (Mainly Gel Lyte III). New Balance and Diadora are the smaller part of my collection. 

There is no clear answer to Why I like a certain brand. To me it's more about specific silhouettes - The Air Max 1 is clearly my all time favorite. 

What are your top three sneakers you own at the moment?
1: Nike Air Max 1 x Atmos - Elephant
2: Diadora N9000 x LimitEDitions - Castellers
3: Nike Air Max 1 x Atmos - Safari OG (2002)

What do you plan on buying next?

Next on my bucket list is the Air Max 1 Lemonade Retro (to complete the 3 Pack) and the Jordan 1 Mocha.

If you could change one thing in the sneaker community, what would it be and why?

From my point of view, the sneaker scene is parted into two different areas: High Fashion Collabs & Hype releases vs. old school Retro pairs. But both sides have something in common which is the reselling business. In non Covid19 days you did not have to rely too much on copping online (and sometimes fighting bots) but there was always the chance to get them at a camp out /at the doorstep of a shop. I kind of miss these days because you could also connect with other sneakerheads - these were always good times.

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