With Summer Sole Slam Manila coming up in two weeks, I decided to interview some of the most legit sneakerheads in our local community so they could share a little about their collections and a few insights on shoe-copping.

Antonio Aguirre Jr., known to his friends as Jay-R, has been sole-collecting for quite a while now and has more than 500 pairs in his closet. He owns a couple of businesses and is one of the few people on this planet who owns a pair of the Nike Mag. On top of being a sneakerhead, he is widely known for creating Sole Slam Manila, the first and only sneaker convention in Asia.

Jay-R Aguirre

Also an entrepreneur and joining his passion for shoes is Bryan Zafra. This Godfather-like fellow, known as BZ to his peers, is a living proof of what a sneakerhead is. He believes that the most important quality a shoe junkie must have is to share his passion to others by giving tips and advices on how to control the “addiction”. He also runs Black & White Clothing Ltd.

Kim Francisco, meanwhile, is a straight-up Nike SB junkie. He owns and operates Sole City, bringing in kicks from brands like Nike SB, Supra, and Vans, among others since 2007, to uplift the local sneakerhead community. Aside from shoes, Sole City has also come up with their own shirts that have garnered praise from people all over the nation.

These are the three “sole” brothers that took the local sneaker game a notch higher.

When did you become a ‘sneakerhead’? What sneaker got it started for you?

AA:  I basically started with a small rotation of 50 pairs of sneakers after college (2003), when I started earning my own money. But I felt like I became a hardcore sneakerhead last April 2011 after I came back from the DXC Sneaker Convention in San Francisco. That fueled my passion for collectible sneakers. The Jordan 9 Retro White/Black colorway got it started for me.

BZ: I feel that I became a sneakerhead late 1996 when the Jordan 12 Taxi’s came out. I couldn’t be stopped ever since.

KF: I started collecting SBs in early 2007. And what got me started? Hmm.. it would have to be the Nike SB Purple Avengers.

How many pair of sneakers do you own? BE HONEST!

AA: As much as I’d love to cop every sneaker that I want, I have a storage limit for approximately 750 pairs of sneakers only. As of today, I have 670+ pairs of sneakers. I can say 95% of those are in my size.

BZ: More or less 100 pairs. I don’t want to add anymore, but sometimes you really can’t pass up on a release. I just unload some kicks if a new pair comes in. It’s hard to decide which pair to let go, though.

KF:  I own 35-40 pairs. I sold a lot of extra pairs. No use in keeping ‘em if I won’t be able to use them. Quality over quantity.

Bryan Zafra

Do you actually use them or keep them hidden in some closet?

AA:  I always say that sneakers are meant to be worn, not to be displayed. So I try to use each and every one of them as much as I can.

BZ: Around 75% of my shoes have been used and I keep them in a rotation. The 25%, I save them for special occasions. I usually keep them in the box inside a zip lock bag and take them out once in a while.

KF: I keep em in a closet after i use em. I used to keep em in the box but my room got too cluttered and messy so i decided to get a custom cabinet made to fit 30 pairs it also helps me limit what i buy.

What attracts you to sneakers? Colors, style, material, shoe brand?

AA: Definitely the colors. So I can pair them up with my shirts and caps.

BZ: Nowadays, I prefer to don black. I’m taking a shot in becoming a lawyer so I have to keep it simple and classy without sacrificing my passion for kicks.

KF: Color and materials used. No specific brand, but I love Nike SB. Shelf-life wise, they last longer than most Jordans.

Walk me through one of your ‘camp out’ experiences

AA: Wouldn’t really consider it a “camp out”, more like I was up as early as 6AM for a pair of KDIV Weathermans [laughs]. But it’s fun because you get to share your passion with other sneakerheads lined up and meet new friends.

BZ: All the ones I went to felt the same. You line up, sit on a chair you brought, and in a few hours, you get your pair, pay and leave. But the camp out during the December 23, 2011 release of the Concord’s was the most memorable. 3 lines in Nike BHS, it was very chaotic. More than 16 hours of waiting and when the doors opened, people were pushing and shoving each other just to get in. All hell broke loose. Despite the near-death experience, I still got a pair.

KF: [laughs] I don’t camp out. Closest thing was one time I woke up real early to get a pair of black cements at Rockwell.

Kim Francisco

Of all your kicks, which is the most expensive pair? How much did it cost?

AA: In terms of market value, definitely the Nike Mags. I was lucky enough to own two pairs of my size. But I recently sold one pair for Php 320,000.

BZ: Probably the Jordan 12 Nubucks I ordered from a sneaker site. It was supposed to only cost me Php 8500, but thanks to the shipping and insane Customs taxes, it went up to Php 12000. I felt like I was robbed! [laughs]

KF: The Supreme Black Cements. And I don’t want to remember how much I payed for them [laughs]

If you had to give up all of your shoes except for one pair, which would you keep?

AA: That’s a really tough choice. I would go with the Air Max 90 Infrareds. They’re really comfortable and the color combination is just perfect.

BZ: Jordan 12 Taxi’s. Or any colorway of the Jordan 12s. They remind me of how great my childhood was.

KF: The Purple Avengers, ‘cause that was the first pair I really saved up to buy.

Do’s and Don’ts of sneaker buying

AA: DO buy sneakers because it fits your personality and who you are. DON’T buy sneakers because the next guy tells you it’s nice. You should be able to decide on your own whether to buy the sneakers or not.

BZ: Don’t buy a pair because of its hype. And share your passion with others. You might get a camp-out buddy during releases.

KF: Reading is essential. If you want to buy a pair, research helps a lot.

I’m assuming you own at least one pair of Jordans. Which one’s your favorite?

AA: Jordan 7 “Year of the Rabbit”.

BZ: Jordan 12 Taxi’s most definitely.

KF: Black Cement 3s.

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Don’t forget to get your sneaker fix at Summer Sole Slam Manila! For more details, visit facebook.com/SoleSlamManila.

Also check out this article: Got sole? Sneakerheads doin’ it for the love of the shoe

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