If you're a fan of Dunks and pretty much all things Nike , then SneakerDenn is your man. Renowned for being one of the biggest sneaker curators and sellers on Instagram, his collection is truly vast and filled with hundreds of pairs that you've probably never seen before. With an epic following of over 35k and counting, if you need some rare Dunks in your life then Dennis is the guy to speak to.
With the iconic basketball silhouette now more popular than ever, we sat down with SneakerDenn himself for our latest "Under The Influence" segment to discuss what got him into sneakers in the first place, favourite and dream collaborations, Dunk hype, and so much more!
You’re one of the biggest Dunk curators out there, what got you into sneakers in the first place? I’ve always loved and been into footwear growing up but was not exposed to the cultural aspect of it until my last year at university in 2019! Two of my friends who were into sneakers on my basketball team really got me into Nike and Jordan culture! From then on I became a bigger geek than them and there was nothing to stop me!
Do you remember the first Dunk that you copped? I definitely do as it wasn’t that long ago haha! It was the 2017 "Danny Supa" SB High. I was so stoked when I got it! No one was wearing Dunks yet, I loved the "Syracuse" and "Knicks" vibe about them and thought it was even cooler when I found out the OG Danny Supa SB was one of the first four SBs ever released.
How many Dunks do you currently own and what’s the rarest pair in your collection? There is a fine line between my collection and my ‘stock’ as a curator and seller. I see most of my pairs as part of my collection... until I sell them haha. So I own about 300 Dunks but only about 6 I actually wear regularly. That doesn’t mean I don’t love to unbox, take pictures and show off the rest of them!
If you had to get rid of every pair in your collection except for three, which ones would you keep? Tough one! If I could only keep 3 I would keep my OG 1985 "Chicago" Jordan 1s, 1999 "Reverse Purple City Attack" Dunks, and 2003 "Orchard Street" Dunks!
What’s the one sneaker that you absolutely need in your collection but haven’t managed to cop yet? I am on the search for a pair of 2003 "Deftones" Dunks (40 pairs made), and 2010 "NYC fragments"! Those are two Dunks that I have yet to own in the vault! Also the "Sole Collector" Lows. Can I also put a special request in for a size 13 "City Attack" Dunk, thanks!
What’s your favourite Dunk collaboration ever and why? I really appreciate the "Eric Haze" Dunks from 2003, and have a soft spot for the Highs, which for some reason get less love! I’m a sucker for ‘reverse’ themed Dunks, and this is such a unique shoe to give the reverse treatment. The Hyperstrike box is also something else!
What do you think would be your dream Dunk collaboration? I don’t know if that counts but I would LOVE to see Nike retro the Dunk Air Jordan 1 Chicago, which was an actual shoe that MJ wore. It was a prototype which had the Dunk outsole with an AJ1 upper except the wings logo was on both sides of each shoe, not just on the exterior panel. That would be an instant cop no questions asked.
What do you think of the massive increase in Dunk hype over the past few years? I love it when it’s people genuinely discovering the rich history of this silhouette. Given how extensive its history is and how likeable the silhouette is, I think it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves! Not a fan at all when it comes to what Nike is doing with Dunks though. Nike gives no historical context or insight to their dozens of monthly Dunk releases. They're just bombarding the market and consumers with Dunks because there is a lot of money to be made, without giving any creative, sentimental or historical value to them, which is the whole point of sneaker culture.
Other than the Dunk, what’s your next favourite sneaker silhouette? My other favorite silhouette would be the Air Jordan 4!
How have you been keeping busy over pandemic? Have you taken up any new hobbies? Buying, collecting and selling shoes is what I’ve been up to! My hobby became my full time job during the pandemic!
Is there anything exciting that you have coming up that you can share? I hope to grow my recently launched brand - Outsoul, and establish it as a brand that sneakerheads really gravitate to! I also hope to have some pop-up events around my sneaker collection and brand come up soon!
What advice do you have for aspiring sneakerheads who have just started collecting? My advice is: educate yourself, do some digging in the past, and always do your thing because sneakers are such a unique way of expressing one’s personality and taste!
