Shoe Style: Interview with Footwear Pro Kristian Tennant
This week I met up with former Store Manager of Hype DC, Kristian Tennant, to wrack his brains about casual footwear and the men's shoe industry.
Q: That's quite an impressive collection of shoes! How many are there in total? A: 72 pairs currently, though it fluctuates regularly... (I actually own more than you see in the photos.) Q: Which pair is your favourite and why? A: I'm a sucker for a pair of New Balance 998's, but I really love the Ronnie Fleg Asics gel sight pacific/atlantic
Q: Which brands are most popular right now?
A: I would say as far as sneakers are concerned, the brands that are leading with innovation and are keeping people interested are Asics, Reebok and New Balance. Nike have really dropped the ball. Q: Which current shoe offers the overall best value for money in your opinion? A: Depends on what you consider value. Most people who collect sneakers don't think about how much wear they will get out of them. They will think about how good they look. If you are sombody who is after value for money in a sneaker I would suggest the Saucony Shadow 5000. Great profile and reasonably priced.
Q: Name your top three favourite places to buy casual shoes online. A: Hanon Shop, Ebay and Size. Q: What's your number one tip for a shoe style novice? A: Look after your shoes. Clean them, waterproof them, rotate them and wear socks with them. It's ridiculous how much money people spend on a pair of sneakers, only to completely trash them in a few wears. Buy some Jason Marxx products and keep yourself looking new.
About Kristian Kristian Campbell Tennant Director at Wolfgang Oliver Clothing Launching May 2015 Gentlemen's streetwear label. Specialising in the gap between luxury garments and street style. For collaboration/enquiries contact via Instagram @wolfgangoliverclothing
