5Qs and 5As with @ryxn_dh

We’re back with another instalment of 5Qs and 5As; the series where we talk to Team KLEKT and give you a snapshot of who they are. Today, we’re talking to one of our newest members @ryxn_dh, one of the UK’s up and coming sneaker influencers. Ryan’s love for sneakers and the culture is well-documented, something you’ll know if you follow him on Instagram. From Off-White™ to Travis Scott and Union to Yeezy, Ryan’s got a collection that anyone would be envious of.

Today, we’ll be talking to Ryan to give you a brief insight into his experience within the sneaker scene. You’ll find out more about what he likes, what his thoughts on British sneaker culture are and what his top five pairs are in his collection. Make sure you follow Ryan on Instagram as he’ll be running a special promo for his followers on KLEKT this weekend. Without further delay, this is 5Qs and 5As with @ryxn_dh here on KLEKTIVE.

Hi Ryan, it’s great to have you here. Can you please introduce yourself?

Hey guys, thanks for having me. My name is Ryan, I’m 24 years old and I am a full-time air conditioning engineer and part-time freelance photographer. You can find some of my work on my Instagram.

How did your passion for sneakers start?

My passion for sneakers goes back longer than I can remember, but the moment I knew it was going to be a big part of my life was when I bought a pair of kicks with my own money. I had copped the JD exclusive Nike Air Max 90 “White/Grey/Hot Red” and remember that feeling so clearly. I felt so good wearing this shoe and from then on, I just started buying more and more pairs. It also led me to find my favourite sneaker silhouettes; the Air Force 1, Air Jordan 1, Air Jordan 4 and the SB Dunk Low.

Do you have a Holy Grail? And why is this sneaker your Holy Grail?

I think the term Holy Grail is used too lightly these days. People seem to get the term confused with the most recent, hyped or expensive shoe that is out there. I think for me, the shoe has to connect with someone on a deeper level and have a back story that resonates with the wearer. For me, a Holy Grail is a shoe that shouldn’t be readily available; it should require a lot of time, searching and hard work to find it. I’m still looking for a shoe that does that for me!

I think one pair that is close to being that Holy Grail though is the Supreme x Nike SB Dunk Low Pro “Black Cement” from 2002. It was the start of the relationship between Supreme and Nike, really merging the two cultures and cultivating it into an ongoing partnership that’s still running today.

Can you tell us about British sneaker culture?

I think that there is still a big divide in British sneaker culture between the younger and OG collectors. The scene has changed so much over the years and back then, sneakers were a way of bringing people together to form a community. This has evolved a lot, with sneaker releases now appealing to a much wider audience for the wrong reasons such as low availability, limited releases and on the opposite end of the scale, overproducing some sneakers.

There are now many young people that see sneakers as nothing more than a way to make money which is what drives a wedge between the older and younger generations. Saying that there are still many collectors out there that enjoy the culture and releases, even if it is much harder to get sneakers these days.