We chat to Offspring Community member Thom aka @92inc_
Tell us about yourself.
Hey guys! Thanks for featuring me in your OFFSPRING Meets series, I’m Thom aka 92inc (still don’t know why I chose that name). I’m 32 and living in North London. I grew up in the Midlands with time away living in both the Canaries and Gibraltar. I have always loved learning about new cultures and growing up in these incredible destinations really gave me the travel bug.
How long have you been into sneakers and how did you get into them?
I have always liked sneakers, but my interest really started around the 2006 World Cup. Before this, sneakers were something to put straight to feet and head out with friends to play football. The launch of the Air Force 1 ‘Countries Pack’ changed this, and I was desperate to collect them all. They were the first shoes I didn’t want to ruin. I wanted to care for them and wear them with pride, trying to make them last as long as possible.
As I got older, I was often in trouble at school for spending time in lessons looking at the latest Nike SB Dunk and Air Force 1 releases, reading forums, and working out how I was going to get the latest releases. I’ve always been that guy that has been really interested in shoes, but I didn’t realise there was a world of people just like me out there. When my other hobbies paused during lockdown I began connecting with people through The Sole Supplier on Facebook, which lead me to Instagram and the Offspring Community.
I’m incredibly fortunate enough to have met a group of likeminded people who want to discuss sneakers too!
Do you have any early sneaker memories?
My earliest sneaker memory is as a young teenager watching music channels. I would admire the sneakers worn by artists and rappers and try to find ways to persuade my parents to buy them for me. When this became tricky, I started saving everything I could to buy the latest releases.
Do you have any sneaker regrets and what is your sneaker grail?
My biggest sneaker regret is learning about shoe restoration after throwing out countless historic SBs and Air Max’s. I look at old photos of my sneakers and wish I’d kept them to restore them today.
I’m fortunate enough to own one of my sneaker grails; the Nike Dunk Low x CPFM Swarovski. These shoes are incredibly unique and beautiful and I genuinely can’t believe I own them.
My other grail is the Tom Sachs Mars Yard 1.0. This shoe fulfils one of my favourite sneaker criteria; the more you wear them, the better they get.
As these shoes age they just look incredible. You can wear them for weeks across different time zones and different countries and they just keep getting better. Character is added with every crease and scrape. They are very close to my idea of a perfect shoe, the one you can wear every day without compromise.
What sneakers are in your rotation currently?
I have about 50 pairs in my rotation currently that do not follow any rhyme, reason, or links between pairs. I have eclectic tastes that vary between brands and models, and I always try to wear what makes me feel great that day. My current rotation features a healthy mix of Nike SB Dunks, Air Max and Jordans.
At the moment, I am really enjoying wearing older SB Dunk Highs, particularly from around the early 2010s. Jordan 1 OG Lows are always a firm favourite, especially when travelling.
Aside from sneakers what else are you into?
I had aspirations of going into football journalism but for various reasons that didn’t work out. I am however football mad and love Spanish football. I support FC Barcelona and have done since I was young. I enjoy all aspects of Spanish football, and learning about the different regions, rivalries and club stories.
It can be a real mistake to bring up Spanish football in conversation with me as I can talk about obscure club histories and facts for hours!
I also love to travel. Immersing myself in new cultures and learning as much as I can about the world whilst seeing incredible cities something I have always enjoyed. I have started to get more into photography, particularly to engage with the sneaker community. My photography may not be the best, but I am learning and am developing my own unique perspective and styles.
What does the Offspring community mean to you?
The Offspring Community is incredible. This community has given me and others a sense of belonging, in a supportive environment with likeminded people. The community here supersedes sneakers. It brings people together through events, conversations and meet-ups helping the community grow and helping us to meet each other and to make new friends.
Through the Offspring Community I have made friends I otherwise would not have even known. Sneakers brought us together, but now I consider some of the friends I’ve made here more like family.
Check out more from Thom on Instagram @92inc_