Tucked away in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany you can find 21-year-old Paulina, a budding sneaker collector and influencer. She masterfully rocks bright-colored kicks pairing it with the finest collection of streetwear. While she can’t pinpoint her favorite sneaker to date she has a mean collection of Nike’s that can rival the seasoned sneaker collector. She is a budding force in the niche world of female sneakerheads.
How did you become so passionate about sneakers?
My sneaker love story began when I was about 14 years old. One of my first pairs were some Nike Blazers which I was so proud of. I bought them from an outlet store. But I got really crazy about sneakers when I went to New York City for the first time in 2012. I saw all the stores like Footlocker, Champs and so on. I was flashed about the range of sneakers they had, like Nike Lebron or any type of Jordans. At this point, all these models and versions of sneakers were unavailable in Germany so it was so special to me.
What is the first sneaker that made you lose your mind and you knew you just had to have it?
I think it was the Yeezy Boost 350 V1 Moonrock. I saved all my money to get them myself (I had to pay resell). The moment I held them in my hands for the first time was amazing!
“I would tell the younger generation, that they should buy only pairs that they really love and not only to have it”
Do you have a person or brand that you admire?
I don’t have a specific person or brand. I get my inspiration from Instagram and when traveling to different countries. I love to see how other sneaker-lovers style their kicks.
What are your thoughts about female representation in the industry? Do you see a need that big brands are not catering to?
In my opinion, there should be more of us! But it is getting [better], the brands often create colorways just for women, which I really appreciate. Also, there are already sneaker stores only for women, which is nice to see.
Keeping up with sneakers is not an easy or affordable task. What advice would you give to younger generations that want to collect as well?
Of course it is not a cheap hobby. But when you have the passion and love you have to set your priorities in this way. I would tell the younger generations, that they should buy only pairs that they really love and not only to “have it“. I always worked here and there beside school that is how I paid for my sneakers.
Sneaker enthusiasts fuel the sneaker industry and generally dictates what pops and what doesn’t. Where do you think the big brands are falling short for that specific market?
The brands should work more with influencers and sneaker lovers so they get a bigger voice and show them what sneakers and colorways would be loved most.
Do you have a sneaker roll out from 2018 or 2019 that you considered really impactful?
I really love the collaboration between Nike and Off White. The designs are very unique.
If you could do anything in the sneaker industry what would it be?
I would love to design my own sneaker. That would be a dream!
Follow Paulina on Instagram at @palinaroza
