We chat to Offspring Community member Mark and founder of @jumpmanjournals
Tell us about yourself.
I’m Mark Thomas, 51 years old, South Londoner, with Jamaican parents, and grew up in Battersea and then Brixton. I’m an IT sales consultant but I've done many jobs over the years, and have a degree in film and video which is something I’m very passionate about.
Can you tell us more about your platform Jumpman Journals.
Jumpman Journals is a sneaker lifestyle magazine based in London. We’re a community dedicated to the celebration of Air Jordans, the sneaker culture in general, and the love for life. We aim to JUMP over all social and racial barriers through our love of sneakers, and we are dedicated to building a creative, positive platform that will create opportunities within our communities, especially around the creative arts.
The JMJ FAMILY is a real thing! Not just words or pictures of sneakers. We represent the users of the products, we’re in the streets, at the events, in the communities connecting with the life and soul of this rich culture of sneakerheads. Whether you’ve got one pair or a hundred, whether you’re an adidas connoisseur, a New Balance neutral, a Nike Air head, or an Asics master, the JMJ FAMILY connects with everyone, because everyone has something to offer in terms of adding to this rich tapestry of fresh flavours. We celebrate ALL Sneakers!
Why Jumpman then? There were sneakers before Air Jordans, but after Air Jordans everything changed for every sneaker brand – whether it was adidas, Reebok, New Balance or Puma, everything changed! The way sneakers were marketed to the public, the way sneakers looked, the prices, EVERYTHING CHANGED! So, in terms of the most influential sneaker brands, you can’t deny Air Jordans and Nike. Other brands such as adidas are rich in their history and have key historical moments in the game but one brand changed the world of sneakers for everyone.
Jumpman Journals: The JMJ represents everything sneakers, JMJ represents Fresh! JMJ represents community and everything around that, we naturally have a connection to this culture and will continue to express that in our own unique way, with thought provoking, artistic, entertaining content and events that champion sneakers, basketball, and community.
How long have you been into sneakers and how did you get into them?
It seems like forever, I first started wearing sneakers through sport. In my day it was all about adidas Originals, adidas kick and Puma, as football was the number one sport growing up. You had other sneaker basics like Dunlop Green Flash and Hi-Tec Shadow.
Firstly, it started with football kicks, then there was a moment when tennis sneakers hit the streets. This is when Nike first made an appearance amongst street culture In London. 1987 the game changed forever when Tinker Hatfield and Nike came together with the release of the Air Max 1s, I would say this is the silhouette responsible for really getting me into sneakers. This was the future of sneakers for me, it's like everything before was in black and white and Air Max 1s introduced colour to our lives.
Our main influences were from the streets, what your elders were wearing.
Of course, adidas hit back with the ZX range, 7000s, 8000s and 9000s, which was the official ‘road man’ sneaker in my humble opinion. But the next game changing pivotal moment for me was Air Jordans. Now the whole world was going to sit up and take notice where sneakers were concerned.
Do you have any sneaker regrets and what is your sneaker grail?
There are a few regrets in terms of sneakers I’ve missed out on over the years but the ones that stick out are Nike Air Max 1/97 x Sean Wotherspoon, Travis Scott x Air Jordan 4 ‘Cactus Jack’ and Air Jordan 6 ‘Cactus Jack’. The grail of all grails for me has to be the Air Jordan 4 ‘Bred’ – what they represented, what Michael Jordan was doing on the basketball court at the time and the look of them. The second shoe Tinker Hatfield designed In the Jordan range, with distinctive mesh panelling they stood out from the crowd and even today still commands respect.
What sneakers are in your rotation currently?
At the moment it’s the Jordan 13s ‘French Blue’ and also the ‘Playoffs’. It’s also worth mentioning Jordan 3s and Air Max 1s as they are always on the playlist in terms of my current rotation. I’m also known for wearing different sneakers on each foot, for example at the moment I’m rocking Jordan 2 ‘Lucky Green' on my left foot and Jordan 3s ‘Lucky Green’ on my right foot, creating Jordan 23s ‘Lucky Green’.
Aside from sneakers what else are you into?
I love writing and making short films when I have the time. I’m currently writing a screenplay called ‘Sneaker Heist’. Also love basketball and the whole culture around that. I have a fourteen-year-old son who sleeps, dreams and eats basketball so it’s a big part of my life. I enjoy snowboarding although I haven’t been for a few years. There’s nothing like that exhilarating feeling you get when you're carving up the slopes in Chamonix on a sunny day.
What does community mean to you?
Togetherness! A respect, compassion and understanding for one another. Community is what JMJ Is all about. We’ve always said at Jumpman Journals we are passionate about our celebration of sneakers, but we first and foremost represent the users of the products. Community shapes individuals and therefore it’s fundamental in creating positive social change. The sneaker community is a prime example of how a community of like-minded individuals can come together from different backgrounds and environments and have nothing but love and appreciation for one another.
We understand you have an upcoming charity event taking place in August. Can you tell us more about it?
Sneaker Crawl Is a sponsored walk we’ve organised to raise money and awareness for LBA (London Basketball Association) and UK basketball. Taking place on Sunday 27th August.
Our goal for ‘Sneaker Crawl’ is to have a safe, fun day out, creating a carnival vibe while bringing together our followers from all our platforms. A family atmosphere while raising the profile of LBA and UK basketball. There will be music, giveaways and refreshments and various activities throughout the day.
How can the Offspring community find out more?
You can find more information on how to register at jumpmanjournals.com, on Instagram and Facebook channels or email us at thejumpmanjournals@gmail.com
What’s next for Jumpman Journals?
Jumpman Journals has grown organically into a platform that champions community and with this in mind we will be working towards creating mentoring programmes that will give back to our communities.
Check out more from Mark on Instagram @jumpmanjournals
