WARREN  As a teen, I started out collecting action figures. However as I got older, I sold that collection (keeping my favourite top 10) and developed a love of fashion, I broke into collecting vinyl for the Golden Age (DITC aka Diggin’ In the Crates), baseball caps and my greatest passion, sneakers.

Sneakers are everywhere in our culture. They reflect our taste, our trends, our culture. Part of that was driven by their association with iconic sports figures like the NBA’s Michael Jordan. Sales of his famed Air Jordans put basketball shoes on the map. And the fact that his Size 23 basketball shoes are on display at the Bata Shoe Museum is an indicator of the value and collectability of this kind of shoe. When Nike came out with the Air Jordan 2 and the Eminem Way I Am 313 Limited Edition sneakers, they sold out within five minutes, even with a $1000 price tag. These special edition shoes are just two of the rare releases that turned the sneaker world on its ear. 

My collections currently consist of: Michael Jordan sneakers, vinyl records, baseball caps/ hats and action figures. I live in Lucerne, Switzerland and collecting remains a lifestyle for me – fuelled in part by sentiment. It evokes childhood memories and I like sharing the love between like-minded individuals. They call me DeeBubbz – Just livin’ a happy life as a ‘sneaker freaker’.