ALFONSO AYALA-ADIDAS OG COLLECTOR
We caught up with an OG Adidas collector, Alfonso Ayala to discuss his collection, his top ten list and how he got into sneaker collecting.
What is your name and where are you from?
Alfonso Ayala born in Dallas, TX, currently living in Los Angeles.
How did you get into sneaker collecting?
It came sort of natural to me, I grew up watching my dad collect old coins and old bills. He would also buy me different color chucks so that also was a big influence on me growing up. I started to develop my own style taking in the hip hop and b-boy culture all while playing soccer and adidas was the common thread through out that time in my life.
How many sneakers do you have in your collection?
Last time I counted I was around 250 but that was before I moved to LA, I have 2/3 of my shoes in Texas so its hard to keep an accurate count.
What are your top ten sneakers of all time and why?
1. Diamond pack superstars- I love the luxurious creation of a timeless classic.
2. Sounds of the City Tuff Gong Pro Model - I love this sneaker because it 's collaboration with one of my favorite musicians Bob Marley.
3. Rick Owens X adidas Runner sneaker - Rick Owens is my favorite designer of all times. His first sneaker with adidas was a prefect blend of the two companies.
4. 750 Boost - This sneaker to me embodies the shift of the industry in several ways. First the rise of adidas among the sneaker consumer, its also a reflection of a sneaker brand taking influence from the high end designer world. Street wear and high end are starting to clash and I believe its because of the success of this sneaker and others that came after it.
5. Pharrell Human Race NMD (yellow) - I just love the social message and dialogue Pharrell is trying to make with these sneakers. He is creating with intent to impact the world and change it for a more positive vibe.
6. Bape X adidas Camo super ape star (2003) - I just love the look and cashmere on this sneaker, it was super limited and just a great moment in sneaker history.
7. Adicolor BK2 - This is just a fun sneaker by Jeremey Scott using Keith Haring art all over it.
8. Superstar 80's- RUN DMC "my adidas" 25th anniversary - Another iconic stamp on the sneaker culture immortalized through great design details like the gold rope lace lock.
9. Jam Master Jay superstars Sounds of the city collection
10. Adicolor low Hidden Message pack - This is just a dope sneaker. All the words on the sneaker are in brail, the heel tab spells out "adidas", the side of the sneaker says "adicolor" and the tongue says "thoughts without concept are blind" (i'll have to confirm this last phrase i'll get back to you about it)
What’s the biggest difference between Texas and LA and has your approach to sneaker buying changed since you moved?
In terms of sneakers the biggest difference is the amount of sneaker shops in LA. There are so many and they all have heat of all the brands. Where as in Texas only a few shops carry the stuff I was looking for. In Texas I did more online shopping. It got to the point where I was making connections in other states and overseas at shops and had them hold me down and send me stuff. LA street wear culture is very much alive and thriving, I feel like Texas is always playing catch up to the trends out here. I notice it more now because I live here and then visit home and see old trends taking off there. The drawback is the LA is full of sneaker heads looking for a lot of the same stuff so unless your are connected you may be out of luck. I’ve been blessed to make some good friends so I get to avoid the lines and raffles if and when I want to.
We see you have your son in Adidas also, tell us about fatherhood and the importance of family?
Becoming a father has been the most amazing thing I’ve done and will do honestly. I feel like now every moment I spend working on something is for a much greater purpose and that’s my son Benicio. I work to give him a better future and enrich his life with experiences and culture so he can have a broader understanding of the world. I don’t want him to live sheltered at all, so we are always taking him everywhere we can take him, playing all kinds of music and just encouraging the things he seems interested in. Family is everything to me. I’m one of 4 siblings; 2 little brothers and an older sister. We are a tight knit group, I don’t have many close friends because we are all so close even now with me living across the country we are always texting or snapping each other. No one will ever have my back like my siblings that’s something I learned early on in life and I’ll ride and die for them no matter what. My father as I mentioned was a big influence in my life and I didn’t realize it till a few years ago; so I now know how important it is for me to be a positive role model for my son. Everyday I try to show him love and just be there for him everyday so he has those early memories of us playing with the ball, dancing to some Bob Marley or just watching cartoons. Those moments mean the world to me and I know he will love hearing them all later in life.
What is your next sneaker purchase?
I'll be trying to cop the newest PushaT
Follow Alonso at
Instagram: @revfresh2death
Twitter: @revfresh2death
Photo by @jamgamma