There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Tobias Platzer is one of the biggest adidas and Yeezy collectors in history. Known as @hypetobs on Instagram, he's famous for his vast Three Stripes collection and arm tattoos that pay homage to the German giant. With an epic following of over 40k and counting, Tobs is definitely one of the most influential sneakerheads on the 'gram today.
An industry icon, we sat down with @hypetobs himself for our latest "Under The Influence" segment to discuss how he started collecting sneakers, dream collaborations, his love for the Brand With The 3 Stripes, and so much more!
Hey Tobs! What got you into sneakers in the first place? Going back to the very beginning, I found my love for adidas and sneakers in general with the Yeezy Boost. I really wanted to get the Yeezy Boost 350 V1 "Pirate Black" back in the day, and after I got through the queue I was so happy and wanted to get more Boost shoes, so I bought some Ultra Boost as well. And that's how my story started!
Do you remember the first adidas sneaker that you ever copped? The first adidas shoe I ever bought was a true classic: The Stan Smith , this was also my first order at Solebox back in the day!
I’ve followed your IG for a while now and I’ve always wondered about your adidas tattoo! Can you tell me more about it?! Haha! Well, I decided to get this tattoo to show the people my love to the Brand With The 3 Stripes. I fell in love with adidas as a child. I don’t live too far away from Herzogenaurach and since adidas is the sponsor of our national team and the FC Bayern Munich, I always had the Three Stripes on me. After I got more and more sneakers I knew this was going to be my favourite brand.
How many sneakers do you currently own? I would say I own about 230 pairs right now, give or take ten pairs.
What’s the most expensive pair in your collection if you don’t mind me asking? I guess there are quite a few pairs that were the most expensive ones, with that said, the Pharrell Williams x adidas NMD Hu "Shock Pink" F&F probably takes the cake.
If you had to get rid of every pair in your collection except for three, which ones would you keep?
What’s the one sneaker that you need in your collection but haven’t managed to cop? That would be the Pharrell Williams x adidas NMD Hu "Burgundy" F&F. It's hard to find it for a reasonable price!
What’s your favourite adidas collaboration ever and why? Thinking through all the good collaborations, I would say that Ronnie Fieg did one of the best. I'm still in love with the KITH x adidas Ultra Boost Mid "Aspen Pack" . It's an amazing pair and it's still one of my favourites!
What do you think would be your dream adidas collaboration? My dream collaboration is either crazy or minimal. I like silhouettes that get taken to the next level or modified. I could imagine a cool Ultra Boost 1.0 but with a completely new lacing system, maybe a different outsole, a thicker tongue and some more pull tabs. That could be crazy!
Why do you love adidas so much? Say your reason in ten words! Because it feels like a family. No more words needed. (10 exact, haha!)
How have you been keeping busy over pandemic? Have you taken up any new hobbies? Since I’m living in Bavaria and my Instagram account is just a hobby, I’m working as a web developer and COO in a digital agency. So I was just working, just taking more pictures, and found the love of my life on Tinder. It could be worse than this!
Is there anything exciting that you have coming up that you can share? I hope that I can get my vaccination soon. This would be a real exciting story to share. and some crazy new additions to my collection are coming soon!
What advice do you have for aspiring sneakerheads who have just started collecting? Don’t get your grails as your first shoes. Start with normal pairs, find the love for silhouettes and colorways and always keep your grails as a goal for the future. Thank me later!
