One-On-One With Sneaker Connoisseur: Cory J. King
We recently had the opportunity to sit down with sneaker connoisseur Corey J. King. For those who are unaware, he is the man responsible for the collection of Yeezy's you see floating on Instagram. But unlike most sneakerheads, Cory is one that actually has style. We talked to him about his sneaker collection, his favorite brands and much more. Hope you enjoy the interview.
When we asked Cory to introduce himself, his response was simple. "I'm @ Coryjking on all platforms. And if you haven't noticed, I like kicks."
Yeah you have to be blind not to see that he loves his kicks. When did your obsession with sneakers start?
"I've always been a Michael Jordan fan. Like most kids who grew up in the 90s of course. My real sneaker passion started in 2001. A lot of good J's retroed and released that year, and I was lucky enough to grab a lot of them."
Do you remember which one of those J's was your favorite?
"Of course. The white/blue colorway of the Jordan 17. Still one of my all time favorites."
I'm guessing you have a pair among your incredible collection?
"At the moment Im pretty sure I have 3 pairs. I have two that are deadstock and my original pair which crumbled a while back. Can't bring myself to throw them out. "
I get it.. I still have a pair of my first J's in my basement. Holds a sentimental value. Speaking of your collection, you had to know I would ask. How big is it?
"Haha, I get asked a lot. It's been a while since I actually counted for an exact number. Currently I think I'm in the 500 pair range. But it used to be A LOT more. I recently got rid of a lot of stuff, I've been shifting the focus to quality over quantity."
I figured you get that a lot .. Incredible .. Just incredible. So many shoes.. So a perfect follow up question Nike or Adidas??
"Oh Nike hands down. But I do like some of the stuff Adidas is putting out. And of course they have some heavy influence on their team. But Nike is Nike, and even whoever is in second is still a long, long ways from number one."
You joked on IG that you invented toaster strudel. Obviously that isn't true but How much work do you put in to be able to afford such a huge collection
"Haha I get asked so much that it's kind of a running joke in my comments. But a lot of work. I've owned my own business for years. But with sneakers it's more than that. It's more about relationships and friendships I've built. People think I just walk into Flight Club and cash out. That's not the case. I've been blessed to meet many awesome people within the sneaker culture."
With such a large collection, has it required help to build it to what it is?
"Oh yeah definitely. Like I said, I've met some really cool people. I get notified very quickly of heat or hard to find stuff that comes available at good prices."
That is nice to have people helping look out for you. Moving on to clothing. You have a lot of heat when it comes to clothing as well. What are some of your favorite brands?
"I appreciate that. Well my favorite brands are always rotating. Right now I'm heavy on Fear of God. But John Elliot, Balmain, APC, Saint Laurent, Kith and Premium Co are all in my weekly rotation."
With so much heat, can you walk us through the process of putting together a fit in the morning?
"Well, in general I start from the ground up. I decide which kicks I want to wear depending on what I'm doing, then work up. Pants, if I'm wearing a layering tank, shirt, overshirt, jacket etc. You get the picture."
But for those readers looking at your account and wanting to be like you. How can they get there?
"That's easy. Work hard, build good relationships, and always wear what you like. Don't be afraid to mix it up. Life is too short to dress boring!"
Big thanks to @Coryjking for taking time to offer some helpful insight into his life and sneaker collection. We admire his style and envy his collection. Be sure to follow him on instagram for fashion inspiration.