We chat to logistics manager, street photography enthusiast and Community member Kelly.

Tell us about yourself (Where are you from, what do you do for a living?)

Hi guys, I’m Kelly, a Logistics manager by day and a Streetwear and Sneaker enthusiast by night. Originally from god’s county (for those of you who aren’t familiar that’s Yorkshire) and what a place it is! Despite loving the hills and greenery I always wanted to move around a lot and have lived in many places, including Philadelphia, London, and now Manchester.

How long have you been into sneakers and how did you get into them?

I’ve loved shoes for as long as I can remember. To be honest I think my love became more and more specific over time. Rather than shoes in general, I turned to sneakers. Following that I think my love turned into… obsession?! I started to get more serious about collecting back in 2019. Oddly, I think this was triggered by photography. I have always been into street photography, and I found so much joy in photographing the sneakers as well as wearing and admiring them. For anyone who does follow me on socials, I think it's quite evident because many of my posts are shoes themselves, I really enjoy showcasing the silhouettes and materials.

Since then, it’s all been a blur and now I’m sitting here with over 50 pairs!

Do you have any early sneaker memory?

Since I’ve only been collecting properly since 2019 I wouldn’t say I have any really early memories (unless you guys want to chat about wheelies back in the 90s? I’ve got all the time for that!). However, I can share what is probably my favourite memory since I started collecting. After seeing some Sacai LD waffles on foot after the silhouette first dropped, I totally fell in love. I’ve always loved the way Sacai work with different fabrics and this sneaker was no exception.

When the second drop came on SNKRS I was determined to cop a pair, at the time I was spending a lot of time in the US so I had two phones, one with the US SNKRS app and the other with the UK SNKRS app. You better believe I went in for every colourway on both apps! I somehow managed to cop the black pair, which deserved a mention because we all know how mental the SNKRS drops are. To my dismay, I had copped on the US app so I had to wait another 2 months before I could grab them from my mum’s place.

I took a flight to New York a few months later and you better believe that my Mum had the box ready for me at the airport, I was so happy and truly, I have never been more excited to get a pair on foot immediately! For full disclosure, like most sneakerheads, my mum also thinks I’m insane, you guys are not alone don’t worry!

Do you have any sneaker regrets and what is your sneaker grail?

Anyone would think you’re trying to trigger me with this question, ha! Man, there are so many sneakers I wish I’d gone in for that I slept on. For me the one that sticks out the most right now is the Patta Air Max 1, what was I doing?! I wasn’t a huge fan of AM1’s in the early days, but my appreciation for the silhouette has really grown over time. Honestly, whenever I see a pair of those Patta’s on foot (or in my dreams), I kick myself so hard.

In terms of grails, this might surprise some people but I’m not about the pricey pairs. For me, a lot of it comes down to my personal preference, comfort and materials. With that in mind, the sneaker at the top of my list right now is probably the New Balance 990v3 JJJJound Olive.

What sneakers are in your rotation currently?

At the moment I don’t have a rotation per say, it totally depends on what I’m up to that day. Pairs I’m reaching for at the moment are New Balance 2002R’s and my Vans OldSkool LX’s. The 2002R’s really are just a all round pleasure to wear, great materials and the comfort is next level. My Vans usually come out to play if I need something no-stress to bomb around in, they really are an effortless simple silhouette that go with everything, I just wish they were comfier!

As a woman in the sneaker industry can you tell us how you’ve been able to navigate yourself in a predominately male space and your experience so far?

My experience so far has been great overall. I would say the main challenge of being a woman in the sneaker space is the lack of sneaker neutrality. A lot of times there will be pairs, even a general release that comes in sizes 6 (EUR40) or above. I am a UK5.5 and often can’t even try to cop the pairs. This is an issue that a lot of women in the space face and it can be super frustrating.

Thankfully, we are starting to see change, with huge thanks to Titi Finlay and many other women like her who are using their platforms to communicate this message to brands and really advocate for Women who love Sneakers. Despite this movement, there is still a long way to go but I am hopeful, as a collective, we can really continue to push the message and accelerate change in the industry!

Aside from sneakers what else are you into?

I’m big into basically anything creative. Although sewing and photography are my main interests, my grandma taught me to sew when I was a kid so I can often be found making clothes or upholstering things around the house. I’m hoping to share more of that on my socials this year as I’m really passionate about taking old streetwear and upcycling it, watch this space!

Aside from that, getting outside is everything, I think since the pandemic nature has become more and more important to me. I try to get out for a hike every week to dust off my mental cobwebs!

What does community mean to you?

Good question! For me, a community is a group of people, small or large, that feels connected or drawn together. I think community is something we all crave; it gives us a feeling of belonging as well as the chance to support and uplift others who share our beliefs and interests. Even the word community holds positive feelings for me, I’ve met some of the most amazing people in my life through various communities I’m a part of. Special shoutout to you guys and the Offspring Community for being a part of that.

Check out more from Kelly on Instagram @kellyrobinsonn_