Dom’s one of my dearest friends and among the first ones to give Bobby and I a real shot. He’s one of the best “idea” guys in streetwear and runs one of the better street/skate shops in LA that’s really a staple to the scene. I’ve known him for 11 years now, and Brooklyn Projects was only the second store to carry The Hundreds way back in 2003 when we first started the brand. So if it wasn’t for Dom, and Brooklyn Projects, The Hundreds wouldn’t be where it is today (right, Dom? *wink wink*). Dom is like an older brother to me and his Best. Sneakers. Ever. is really a great story.
The Shoe: The shoe is a Nike Pro B Dunk, which became the staple of Nike SB and launched Nike SB.
The Story: It has a lot of meaning to me… This particular shoe. First off, during 9/11, I had lost almost all of my possessions when I lost my apartment across the from the towers. Whatever I had was either at my Mom’s house in Brooklyn, or in a small two-bedroom apartment in LA I rented with a friend of mine to stay when I went back to LA every other month to handle my shop Brooklyn House (which later became Brooklyn Projects). After 9/11… A few weeks later I lost my job in the music biz, then lost my stores in the months right after… Then had to go bankrupt over some bullshit lawsuit. Basically I had nothing of material value anymore and lived off selling my CD collection. I made enough money… Sold some of my old school bmx collection and packed up my truck and drove across the country from NY to LA. For the first time in ages I lived on a budget… Watching every dollar. Just food, gas, and on occasion a motel to sleep in instead of my truck. When I got to St. Louis, I went to a mall and in there I saw these dunks… But they were different. The color way. The material. And they had extra padding and were puffy. Never saw some like that. I hadn’t treated myself to a single thing in almost 6 months and had nothing. So I contemplated buying them. They were $55, but the dude at the shop told me they were going on sale the next day for $29. I said I was driving across the country and told him my story. The guy’s name was Mike. It was a Footaction shop. He used his discount that day and I wound up getting them for around $35 out the door. From that day, I was hooked on the Nike Dunk after having been a Jordan dude. Few months later, Nike SB was born out of this shoe… So it has a lot of meaning to me and that’s why out of all of my shoes, it’s my most prized pair.
What’s up, Dom? Been working on Brooklyn Projects brand. We have a brand now that’s stocked at some select retailers across the world. And just finalized paperwork for a Brooklyn Projects x Slayer capsule collection. Also my other company The Board Pillow. And continuing to do marketing for SOL Republic headphones… Have a lot on my plate. Opening more stores in Canada and Brooklyn Shop will open mid 2015.
And because it ties in: Working on my next collab with Nike SB for a Summer 2015 drop.
