POLAROIDSNEAKSSNIPER Kicks Collectors #7

I met Jay R at Flight Club, the store he works at, besides having a Hip Hop broadcast on BBOX Radio in Brooklyn.

I was wearing one of my new POLAROIDSNEAKSSNIPER sweatshirts and a denim Dickies overalls, Jay R was impressed by my sweatshirt and asked me what I was doing. I briefly explained him my polaroid project and he liked it a lot.

There is no doubt that, working for one of the largest sneaker stores in NY, Jay R has a big passion for sneakers. What makes him stand out is his particular aesthetic belonging to his hip hop & street culture from Flatbush (the neighborhood he was born and grew up in, the same as many rappers like Flatbush Zombies, Joey Bada $$ and Busta Rhymes) mixed with a northern European aesthetic given by his background working with Han Kjobenhavn, undoubtedly the largest Danish fashion reality worldwide.

Identikit

Name: Franz J.r Juin (Jay.R)

Age: 28

Profession: shop assistant and radio host

IG: @iryd3r

City: Brooklyn, NY

#1 What’s the origin of your passion for sneakers and when was it born?

I wouldn’t say it’s a passion, it’s more a necessity. I realised sneakers were important when growing up my mother would always ask me "does the shoes match with this outfit?" before leaving the house. A question Nas answered to with his song The World Is Yours (Remix): "And the Nikes on my feet keep my cypher complete".

#2 What’s your favourite sneaker brand?

As a kid Nike, as an adult adidas!

#3 What’s your dream sneaker? Imagine you can create the perfect collaboration.

Believe it or not, it would be the Louis Vuitton Jaspers all black! Their silhouette is something unique, where streetwear meets high-end fashion, so of course the collabo would be between Nike and Louis Vuitton.

#4 What’s your favourite emergent sneaker brand?

Nowadays it is hard for young brands to emerge. I haven’t seen any of them standing out on its own and make a name by itself. They are redoing classic shapes or collaborating with other brands to bring them back to life, like Ronnie Fieg, Supreme, etc.

Jay R's Sneakers: