I am a sneakerhead episode 187 - @benwhalley21
First of all, could you please introduce yourself?
Hi, my name is Ben Whalley. I am 30 years old, half English, half Indonesian. Living in the UK, specifically in Grays, Essex. Big enthusiast of sneakers, photography, trying different sorts of food, and craft beers.
For how long have you been collecting sneakers, do you remember what your first 'real' pair was?
My earliest memory of when I would think I am collecting is in 2005 when the Adidas Superstar 35th anniversary was released, trying to collect the whole pack was hard to do, especially when I was living in Asia, they were the big thing back then. Probably one of the best anniversary packs in the last few years.
The last few images on your Instagram account have been in front of your stunning sneakerwall, how many pairs are there in total?
It's hard to say cause I haven't actually gone through my collection and had a recount on how many pairs I have. The last time I did, it was near 100 pairs and it probably has gone up since my last count aha.
You seem to have a great variety of pairs, why is that?
My variety comes from the love of the design, the shape, the materials of each sneaker, and it doesn't matter what brands they are, which gets expensive when I like so many sneakers. I just buy what I like and I know I would wear. Colours and materials are a big thing for me.
Do you have a favourite pair, perhaps even a favourite model/release?
My all-time favourite pair are the Hanon X Diadora n9000 'Saturday Special'. One of my ultimate grails. The craftsmanship, materials, colours, and everything about it is perfect. I was hooked when I saw pictures of them the first time it has been a long hunt and I'm glad to have it in the collection.
What was your favourite pickup of 2021 and why?
That is a tough choice, I could not choose between the Shinzo X Mizuno contender and the New Balance 991 Stray Rats. Both are excellent pairs. The concept of the Shinzo Mizuno pair is amazing where you can cut them up to how you like it. The NB stray rats are something else, the whole colour blocking and material are just amazing.
Is there currently anything on your radar?
I have no specific pair that is on my radar but I do have a list of older pairs that I'm trying to get for a decent price. With people chasing the hype these days it's nice to be able to pick up pairs for a good price.
If you were to cop a single release for retail, which would it be and why?
If I have to pick, it would be Diadora correfocs or Diadora Castellers. 2 amazing pairs with an amazing story, colours, and materials. You also now with made in Italy pair, the craftsmanship would be perfect. But prices are still crazy on them.
Make sure to follow Ben on Instagram