I am a sneakerhead episode 221 - @my_sneakershelf
First up, could you please introduce yourself?
Hey guys, I’m Karim, born in Alexandria (Egypt) but raised in Bremen (Germany). I’ve been living in Hamburg (Germany) since 2011. In my free time, I love spending time with my family (a fresh, proud Dad) and friends, as well as collecting sneakers and meeting up with the guys from our meetup group @kickzundkaffeehamburg.
How many pairs do you currently have? Are you planning on keeping that number steady or growing/decreasing it?
I think I have around 150 pairs, but since I became a dad in September and we need more space, I would like to reduce my collection and focus on more iconic pairs. I prefer the hunt for vintage and special pairs at good prices rather than participating in every raffle.
Do you remember what your first pair of sneakers that you really cared about was?
AIR JORDAN XII TAXI 1996
In 1996, I was almost 14 years old, and we spent the Christmas Holidays at my grandparents' and aunts' in Montreal, Canada. Boxing Days, the days between Christmas and New Year's Eve – a time to spend the Christmas money you received from your grandparents. So, we went to Fairview shopping mall, second floor, next to the food court; there was a sports store, possibly a Sports Experts. In the display were the AIR JORDAN 12 TAXI. I started convincing my parents to add some money to my Christmas funds.
Thirty minutes later, we entered the store, and I tried them on. A US 8.5 / EUR 42 fitted perfectly. I didn't want to take them off, so we bought them. Happiness and pride describe the following hours in the mall. I wore the Jays every day, enduring -20 degrees in the Winter of Canada, and even 6 months later in the summer vacations at +45 degrees in Egypt.
I love those memories.
But there is also another personal story:
Air Jordan 8 Aqua
What is my connection, and why is this sneaker a grail for me? Well, it's the first OG Jordan I still remember seeing in retail. As a child, I usually spent my summer holidays at my grandfather's house in Alexandria (Egypt). The whole day, I played on the balcony and outside on the streets. In front of the apartment, there was a small sports store, and as you can imagine, in the store window, there was the Air Jordan 8 Aqua. The tongue, with its wool Jordan Logo and its colorway, was so iconic that I still remember it after almost 30 years. After a long search, I found this 2015 version in pretty good condition that I just had to get. I'm so happy that this grail joined my collection.
You seem to have a special love for Nike; why is that?
As I recall, I always had more Nike sneakers than those from other brands. As a kid, I loved the USA - New York, Orlando … - and every time we spent vacations there, we bought some Nike sneakers. Whether it was runners (I'm not sure if they were Air Max 93) or B-Ball Kickz (like Nike Air Flights)...
Do you have a favorite model or perhaps a favorite release?
Currently, I'm into Nike Air Max 1s and Jordan 1s.
Do you usually buy sneakers in physical stores or online?
Unfortunately, due to time constraints and the variety available, I mostly buy my sneakers online, from sneaker online shops or marketplaces like Vinted or eBay, for example.
Have you ever needed to pay a resell premium for a pair of sneakers?
Yes, I had to pay resell on 3 of the 6 Air Max 1 Patta wave , because I wanted to complete the collection.
Do you already know what your next purchase will be?
Right now I don't have anything special in mind, but I would love to find an OG Jordan 12 Taxi '96 in good condition at a fair price.
Make sure to follow Karim on Instagram: