We chat to Offspring Community member Janome aka @amalfiboyjay
Tell us about yourself.
Hi everyone, I’m Janome! Born and raised in East London, Hackney to be more specific. I am a Barber, I started doing it at 30 years old (It’s never too late) and I’ve enjoyed every moment since. I consider it a form of art and therapy, nothing better than a ‘Fresh Trim’ and seeing the joy in a client’s face is quite rewarding.
I have 3 beautiful children, one boy and two girls and they are all really in love with shoes, I have no idea why!!!
I have also created a Fruit Punch/Rum Punch that I will bring back in the near future. Some may know already, if not the Instagram is @TheSweetestPunch – check it out.
How long have you been into sneakers and how did you get into them?
I have been into trainers, sneakers, boogs, creps, daisy roots, kicks, and tennis shoes since my earliest memories. I truly believe my love for trainers came from any thing to do with America. It could have been seeing MC Hammer in a magazine or Beverly Hills Cop, too many films to name but when your favourite actors/sports person step out in some fresh Nikes, it’s time to draw for the Littlewoods catalogue and start circling some stuff, then proceed to tell my mum about how good I would be if I got these and how my life, would massively improve if I had these trainers. I’m not going to lie to you sometimes things didn’t go to plan, and I ended up in a pair of Mercury’s.
But to have Huaraches (High Tops) in primary school was a big thing. So big up Mummy! Those days any shoe I saw was probably for the first time ever, so the wow factor was always there.
Do you have any early sneaker memory?
I remember seeing an AIR Bubble for the first time, so vivid like it was yesterday. We were in shock at school, gathering around my friend’s kicks and pressing it. That was the way to spot a fake back then, Hard Air Bubble lol. I also remember using my WHITE Reebok classics to stop my BMX bike that had no brakes (Raleigh with the yellow mags) and they had worn down in the shape of my bike tyre. UPSET!
Do you have any sneaker regrets and what is your sneaker grail?
Too many to name, throwing rare pairs away, wearing them every day until they looked like Alladin’s shoes. Actually, I have a good one, I had a pair of AM95’S washed but I needed them to dry quick, so I put them on a heater, when I returned my air bubble had basically inflated and was like a balloon I was so upset, I pierced them and the squeaking started immediately.
What sneakers are in your rotation currently?
I have a small rotation at the moment. My Nike Dn is very practical, and the Supreme x Nike Air Force 1 (white) since the weather has been teasing. Other pairs include Mizuno Contenders (shop/running), Corteiz (Gutta Green) for the culture lol, no doubt the Reimagined 3’s, they just work well with most fits.
Aside from sneakers what else are you into?
I am into collecting several different items like toys, magazines, stickers anything that represents a moment in time that I can look back on or share with my children when they are older. I am into content creation and meeting new people.
What does the Offspring community mean to you?
I stumbled upon the community that I didn’t know existed. Who would have thought there are people that share the same love for shoes as I did! And some even more than me.
Since being a part of the community, I have met some great people, shared some great moments that I will remember forever. I have learned so much about the history of sneaker brands and people that without the community I may have never known.
Check out more from Janome on Instagram @amalfiboyjay
