TH: Can we get a quick intro for the people who are unfamiliar? Name, Age, Hometown & Occupation?
NICOLA: My Name is Nicola Cisneros, 20 years young born in St. Maarten, Caribbean and Senior at the University of Tampa.
TH: Living in the Caribbean has to be amazing. What is the scene out there for a sneaker lover like yourself?
NICOLA: Sunny Skies and Blues Seas. The sneaker culture here is not like it is in the states. The most popular J's sit on shelves for months and even years (there are still citrus 7s at my local sneaker shop). I used to order a lot from online but shipping can be a killer when its going overseas.
Also its hard to keep your kicks looking fresh because you just might randomly end up at a beach or get caught in a heavy rain storm. Hurricanes are also a hazard as my collection and friends collections have been destroyed in the past due high seas and rainfall.
NICOLA: I had a good amount of sneakers growing up, but the one pair of kicks that actually sticks in my mind are the 2002 Adidas T-mac 2 white/blue.
Tracy McGrady was one of my favorite basketball players and I already had the first T-Mac but these were something special. I can remember opening that shoebox on Chirstmas Day with the biggest smile on my face. Just a PERFECT color way.
TH: If you could give one piece of advice from the people to the heads at Nike in regards to how things are in the sneaker world what would that be?
NICOLA: This is definitely a tough one, but I would say online releases just don't work out to well for people that actually WANT the sneaker. Resellers and their Bots get majority of the sneakers that release online. I believe if Nike were to release more kicks through actual Nike stores and retailers like Footlocker and Champs people who really want a sneaker can get it. It is definitely safer, but in the end when I get screwed week in and week out online, it just discourages me to buy another pair of Kicks.
TH: Instagram and sneakers are almost like peanut butter and jelly nowadays. Who are your top 5 must follow sneaker personalities that you follow and what about them stand out to you?
NICOLA: Haha it really is nowadays. Top 5 in no particular order are:
@dependablejay - I love to see the history he pulls out the "vault" and he is always willing to share and educate the sneaker community. He has kicks that you don't even know existed from PE's to Samples and the GR's. One of the most humble people IG I have come upon.
@johnreeper916 - Don't fear the reeper. Ive been following him since my beginning on IG and he never disappoints. A true OG in this game, he will educate the sneaker community in any way possible through his @undeadstock_grail_life page and is trying to bring back the game where it once was. Bape on his Back, Nike Air on his feet
@plo24sn- Can you say #MAMBAGANG? One of the best Kobe Collections out there hands down. From Duke 8s, to kobe OG1s, (I can actually say OG now :P) he will never disappoint. Being a Kobe Fanatic, his page is must and I wish to have a Kobe collection that beast one day. Also the founder of one the best s/o pages @sole_nation
@the_perfect_pair - One of the best sneaker collections with Amazing HD Shots. I really enjoy checking out his page on the daily and seeing what heat he has cooking up from the PEs to the Samples. Really has impressed me lately with his high quality pictures. I really enjoy Photography and its beginning to look like he is getting into it as well.
@sxm_sumo - I have to rep the biggest sneaker collector on my island. He has every BIN, mostly every DB, and everything else from exclusive Lebron's, Air Maxes and Kobes. His collection is truly spectacular since there is no House of Hoops on the island or even a Footlocker or Champs. He doesn't have a connect, he has connects!
NICOLA: I always have. Being from one of the most culturally diverse places in the world, my shoes collection has to be diverse as well,even though I've been on a strict Kobe diet of lately.
TH: Name your specific favorite shoe/colorway from the following categories and what about that shoe stands out for you: Air Jordan, Lebron, Kobe, Nike SB.
NICOLA: Air Jordan OG 1 Chicago - One of my grails in my collection. The simplicity in the shoe and the quality is where its at. Not to Mention its History of being 28 years old.
Lebron 2 Low White/Silver - An everyday clean shoe. I wore mine to beater status, a pair that I wish to get my hands on again
Kobe 5 Bruce Lee - One of my Grails I'm still in pursuit of. The Color way is executed perfectly and the 5 model is one of my favorite of all time
Nike SB Skunk Dunk Hi - Another Grail in my collection. Not just because of how the shoe looks but what is stands for. Coming from the islands, its 420 everyday.
TH: What is your greatest sneaker related memory in the world of sports and why?
NICOLA: My greatest sneaker memory is the world of sports might of been the 2003 All Star Game. I remember Tracy McGrady rocking the one red one blue T-Mac 3. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. As soon as I finished watching the game I asked my mom for both pairs. Couple of weeks later they were in my possession and I was playing in them, one Blue one Red, just like T-Mac (BTW they are expected to retro!!!!)
TH: Besides the more popular Retro Jordans, Lebrons and Kobes what is another shoe that you love that maybe fly’s under the radar?
NICOLA: Air Force Ones. I used to have a crazy collection of them until a Hurricane came and destroyed my entire shoe collection. They are the most simple casual shoe. Plus the color ways Nike has been coming up with is impressive. Im glad that I can go in a store pretty much at anytime and walk out with a fresh pair of forces. #fightthehype
TH: With damn near every Jordan being retro’d at this point what specific model/colorway Air Jordan do you with Nike never retro’d and kept a true “OG” and why?
NICOLA: You are right about that, it seems that no shoe is safe anymore. The one shoe though I probably would not like to see retro is the Motorsport 5. With only 23 supposed to be in existence, it would be a shame for Jordan Brand to retro them. People have gone out of their ways to get such an exclusive pair, and if these were to retro the hypebeast and resellers would be all over them.
TH: Any last words of wisdom or advice to the people out there?
NICOLA: Go and buy what you like don't buy into the hype. There are to many people nowadays who just buy kicks because their exclusive or popular. It might be the ugliest looking pair of kicks but they will still go out and buy it. Also learning more about the kicks and the history rather then just buying them to me is something people should do more of.
TH: Where can everyone find and follow you out there on social media?
NICOLA: I use Instagram primarily under the handle @nastygnome and you can also find me on Twitter with the same handle, but IG is where its at.
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