Timi Ade Aladeloba needs little to no introduction within the music/creative scene in Nigeria. TMXO, as he's popularly known, is a Grammy nominated producer, astute business man and all round super-creative dude! We sat down with him to talk about sneakers. Enjoy!
Shwype: What was the first pair of sneakers you got with your own money?
TMXO: I think the first pair of sneakers I ever got with my own money were Vans. I bought them in London and they used to come with the stickers and I had those all over my laptop. It was fly as hell!
Shwype: Can you remember any funny memories involving your sneakers?
TMXO: In secondary school, we had a dress-code and we all had to wear black shoes but the moment I got into senior-secondary school, I started wearing Chuck Taylors and I never stopped. The combination of the canvas and the vulcanized soles are super comfy, practical and you can look fly in them while running from the Opps! [Laughs]
Shwype: When did you realize you loved sneakers?
TMXO: I've always been a sneaker guy and I'd draw shoes all over my notebooks in secondary school. I loved shoes so much that my guys and I created our own shoe company called Overalls.
Shwype: What are your favorite pair of sneakers?
TMXO: My favorite pair of sneakers that I own right now have to be the Nike Air Force 1s. That's one silhouette I never get tired of. Crispy white Air Forces... I can buy like a thousand pairs of those shoes and wear them everyday. You can never go wrong with a pair of Forces.
Shwype: What's your dream pair of sneakers?
TMXO: I'm quite practical so I stick with the Vans silhouettes, Air Force 1's and Adidas EQT type of silhouettes. Maybe in the future, I'll buy some very rare drops and just put them on ice. But to sum it up, my dream sneaker situation would be a closet dedicated to white Air Forces; I'm a simple guy.
Photography by Jay Olowu
Location - 7 SVPPLY