We’ve been conducting interviews with the best sneaker and streetwear influences in the game. Our next interview is with Kamil Baks, a freelance content creator for Polish sneaker brands and the ultimate sneakerhead.
Hey Baks, thank you for taking the time to chat with us. Can you please introduce yourself and let us know a bit of you and your background?
Hello, my name is Kamil, but I think most of you will know me as @instabaks. I’m a sneakerhead from Warsaw, Poland and I’m 29 years old. I was a brand manager for a Polish sneaker store up until recently, but this year I quit my regular job and started my freelance career. I create content for streetwear brands or sneaker stores in Poland using social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook. I hope this is just the beginning of a long career!
It feels that you are omnipresent on Instagram. What kind of audience do you attract and why?
I love to organise photo sessions and meet new people through social media. Most of them are great photographers and also my close friends. I believe I’m being followed mainly by conscious people. My statistics show that my followers are mostly 25 years old and even older. I believe my following is this age, as I don’t consider myself a “hypebeast” collector. I’m not excited about new Off-White™, Yeezy and Supreme releases, I prefer classic sneakers with spirit and a cool story behind the project. I think my followers are aware of this and we share the same beliefs.
Do you believe that the sneaker scene and Instagram work side by side?
I think that most people who are into streetwear are looking for inspiration or to buy some new pieces through Instagram. A lot of reseller stores who have a lot to offer are found on Instagram and you can connect with people all over the world through photos and the culture. Whilst, of course, Facebook still has groups, Instagram has certainly become the main platform for streetwear and sneaker culture to thrive on.
I also often go back to the profiles I follow on Instagram and regularly buy shoes from all over the world like Japan, the US or the UK. Instagram has ultimately made it a lot easier to see if someone is on the same wavelength as you. You can look at someone’s feed and know almost instantly if you are into the same sneakers, shots and culture.
It used to be that Facebook was the place to go in order to meet like-minded people through groups and discuss the culture. Now, this has shifted to Instagram and two are now working well together.
Besides sneakers, you are strongly into tattoos! When did you start this? Mission completed or will you get more?
I am fascinated by Japanese culture and my dream was to go to Japan to see all the things I read about in Japanese books. Two years ago, I was able to realise this dream and visited Japan. After I came back, my passion had deepened even more.
I decided that I wanted to get tattoos that referred to Japanese culture. My inspiration came mainly from Ukiyo-e works and books. I was also lucky to find a good tattoo artist who introduced me to renowned artists from Taiwan and Korea. I managed to get several tattoos from them.
For now, I need to finish my legs, and then I will start the whole front. I would like to connect my front with my back. I don’t intend to go above my neck, so I think that I will stop at the front.
Why are you passionate about sneakers?
I started collecting shoes 10 years ago and it all started with volleyball. On the pitch, you could stand out, either with your hair or shoes. I was looking for unique shoes on the Internet and came across a Polish forum about sport shoes, where my close friend, Jerz, showed me his great collection. I had never seen similar shoes in any stores I knew so I joined the sneaker scene very quickly.
Because I’m from a big city, people from the forum met each other from time to time. Once I decided to come to this type of meeting, I became friends with the people from the forum. We are all still in contact even today! My first good pair of sneakers was the Nike Air Max 90 South Beach in 2009. I started to become interested in the sneaker industry even more and closely followed new topics and I was always active on Sole Collector.
Best Sneaker Releases of this year so far?
It is always hard to choose one, so here you have my top three:
I like the whole development around these shoes, they are great quality and very comfortable. They can be worn for years and not for only one season.
Do you see a connection between your sneaker and tattoo love?
I don’t think so because I don’t have any “sneaker tattoos” and I don’t plan on getting any in the future. I do believe that sneakers and tattoos can have a connection however, look at how many people have a tattoo referring to a shoe model. In the tattooing environment, there will be a dozen sneaker enthusiasts with sneaker tattoos.
Do you have a favourite brand?
I don’t have a favourite brand; I like to wear a variety. Each brand has a very strong position in the industry and there is no point discussing who is better.
What’s on your feet right now?
ASICS GEL-Kinsei inspired by Japan, armour and samurai sword. They are incredibly comfortable.
What are the top three kicks in your collection?
Nike Air Footscape Woven Chukka PRM QS Rainbow White
One of the coolest and most comfortable shoes in my collection. They have a colourful weave and stand out from other shoes. Some people love this model where other people hate it, I certainly belong to the first group!
Asics Gel Lyte 3 x Patta F&F
I hunted for these shoes for many years. Finally, I found them at Sneakerness Amsterdam, what more: F&F pair! I had no choice, I had to buy them.
adidas zx9000VA
This is one of the most sought pairs of sneakers that have taken me 6-7 years to find, to finally find my size on the Japanese auction site, I bought them through an agent. I got hit with some pretty heavy-duty costs but it was worth it!
How would you describe the Polish sneaker scene? What makes it different from other countries around the globe?
I think the rest of the sneaker scene is similar to overseas. We are a much younger sneaker scene but we are very active on social media and at sneaker events. This is because now we have almost a full availability of products in our country, but a few years back it was very different. Brands like Nike need to see us as a strong market, as we are the next key city for them to conquer.
What’s your general opinion about today’s sneaker scene and where would you like it to be in the next few years?
I hope that brands will come back to collaborating with stores. Each store had great stories to tell, and at the same time, they activated the local community in their city. Now it all boils down to conversations on the phone and people interacting on social media. I hope that everything returns to the roots of sneaker culture.
I also want people to buy a model they like, vintage kicks they like or focus on a collaboration with their favourite artist. Originality is key and I hope that more people will start to follow their own style instead of copying what they see on social media.
Thank you for your time, do you have any final thoughts?
Always have your rights and if someone negates you, keep on doing your work, because someday you will achieve perfection in what you do.
Make sure to check out Kamil Baks on Instagram @instabaks, for more sneaker and streetwear influence.
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