The past, present and future of culture: An Interview with Oldman Alan
Behind-the-scenes tastemaker and incognito arbiter of taste, Oldmanalan has been stealthily propelling streetwear and fashion forward for the past several years. His keen eye for aesthetics and curation has been a long-standing source of captivating content and positioned him as a forerunner in the streetwear space of social media. Despite Oldmanalan’s penchant for harvesting social media pages and followers (he’s managed at least nine to date), he’s maintained a level of *relative* personal obscurity which lends a slight degree of mystique and charm. We spoke to the man behind the moodboards and picked his brain about the past, present and future of culture.
For the readers that aren't already aware of who you are - where are you from and what do you do?
“I’m from Sacramento, California. I do a lot of things but most people know me as a curator and creator of various Instagram communities all based around sneakers, streetwear and film photography.”
Growing up in a different era what was it like going from no internet at all to now being the man behind so many influential Instagram pages?
“Even though I did grow up in a different era from the kids just getting into the sneaker/streetwear space now, we still did have internet available from what I can remember from about middle school on which was right around the time I started to get interested in sneakers and streetwear heavy. I have vivid memories of copping Fire Red Jordan V’s in 1999 off of my mom’s green transparent iMac so I’ve been copping shoes off the internet for over 20 years at this point. Thanks for making me feel even older now Jake haha.
The way the internet consumes everything now is really crazy though. We all like to complain how bad it is and how much we want to get away from it, me included, but I’ve been trying to look at the positive side of the internet especially when it comes to Instagram and the various pages you’ve mentioned that I have created. Imagine all the amazing people we would never have met and become real friends with if it weren’t for the internet. Yes, there’s straight-up trash stuff on the internet but there is also a really good side to it as well.”
Who were some of your childhood influences and how do they play into your everyday work?
“Michael Jordan, Wu-Tang, Nas, Jay Z, Kanye, Pharrell, Jason Williams, Steve Jobs, Nigo, those are just a few of the ones that come off the top. I tend to pull a little influence from everything but those are people who really formed my childhood and upbringing for the most part. All are legends which is what we're all striving to be when we call it quits. All I know is when I wake up every day I always have the motivation to do something great and those people are responsible for that.”
We noticed your new page @SeeReverseForCare come out of nowhere, tell us your inspiration behind this new page and your ultimate goal with it.
“Yeah, @SeeReverseForCare was something I’ve been planning on doing for some time now. It’s the most authentic and true representation of what I really am into and the aesthetic I love. It’s a little splash of what I think is dope that day and it seems like people are really gravitating towards what I'm doing with it which I'm really grateful for. Even though it’s still new the following that I'm building I really think it will be the best thing I've done yet. Hopefully a year from now we can have a much different conversation about this topic.”
As a family man, what does your life outside of IG consists of?
“My wife and kids are my world. So life away from the internet and Instagram is amazing. I have 3 beautiful girls ages 8, 6 and 2. My wife and I are so extremely blessed to have them in our lives and they really serve as my motivation every day to make my mark on the industry and who knows maybe 10 years from now they will be into the same things I once was at their age but with a modern twist.”
How has your overall style changed since you first started using Instagram? And how would you describe your personal style now?
“I’m sure it’s changed a lot as it should. As you get older you really start to simplify everything… at least I do. At my peak I had hundreds of shoes yes but who the hell needs all that crap you know? Just keep a rotation of super versatile sneakers you can wear regardless of the outfit and keep it pushing. The same thing goes for clothes as well for me. I’ve been rocking Dickies literally every day for the past couple years now and at $25 a pop my wallet thanks me. The dumbest thing a lot of the younger kids coming up think is that you have to blow a bag on your outfit to look and feel fresh. It’s the exact opposite my g. Save your money and put it into personal projects you’re doing. That girl you're trying to impress with some Off White 1’s doesn’t give a damn about that shit and if she actually does then bounce. Learn that early and you’ll thank me later.”
What got you into film and what does you current camera rotation entail?
“I really got into film years ago while I was shooting digital photography heavy and just got bored with everything. The film has such a classic and unpredictable feel to it I really don’t think it will ever go away. @FILM.WAVE is a perfect example of that. The community around that page has just blown up over the last year and I’m hoping we crack 200K followers by the end of this year. I rotate my small compact film cameras all the time but my main setup is a Mamiya rz67. A straight-up tank but the images it produces get me every time I get my scans back from the lab.”
What are some companies/brands that you would like to work with in the future?
“New Balance, Reebok, Levi’s, Dickies, and Carhartt.”
If you could wear one sneaker for the rest of your life what would it be?
“New Balance 990v3. Peak level comfort, timeless, classic and versatile. All you need period.”
So What is next for OldManAlan?
“Good question. I really don’t know to be honest with you. I’m just trying my best to stay sane and enjoy life as much as possible. Whatever comes my way professionally as a result of the work I’m doing I welcome with open arms. I do have some things I’m working on personally with See Reverse For Care, FILMWAVE and The Hype Zine so keep your eyes open. Let’s all end the year with good energy and more opportunities for everyone! Cheers.”