Sneaker History Podcast - Sneakers, Sneaker Culture and the Business of Footwear

Mike is back with another Coffee Time Kicks episode, and this one is for anybody who has ever looked at a sneaker photo and wondered how someone made a shoe feel alive. Jared Moody is the photo manager at Sneaker Politics, a contract shooter for Sneaker News, and one of the most intentional sneaker photographers working right now. Born and raised in Dallas, Moody got into sneakers around 2010 thro...

The whole crew is back. Nick, Robbie, Mike, and Rohit reunite for a full-panel episode of the Sneaker History Podcast, and it feels exactly like catching up with friends who happen to know more about shoes than most people you know. They kick things off with Rockin' and Coppin', covering everything from Nipsey Hussle PUMAs and adidas SL EVOs to a World Cup craze over jerseys and some very real tal...

Most sneaker fans haven’t seen a project this layered and meaningful — until now. When two creators linked up, they crafted a sneaker that tells a story of perseverance, culture, and global pride, right during the World Cup. Brandon Davis, of Better Generation, and Andu, of Roommate the artist behind the inspiring custom sneakers, turn a simple soccer shoe into a symbol of grassroots hustle and se...

Every men's Nike basketball shoe right now has some DNA from the Kobe 4, 5, or 6. Nick, Mike, and Rohit ask whether that's a problem, and whether the women's game has already figured out the answer. They cover Asia Wilson's signature, the Sabrina as a tasteful homage, Edwards making the Believe That One the most talked-about takedown model in recent memory, and a four-team sneaker identity breakdo...

In this episode of the Sneaker History Podcast, Robbie, Rohit, and Mike discuss various sneaker releases, including a special Mother's Day collaboration from adidas. They share their personal sneaker highlights and upcoming purchases, while also touching on the charitable efforts behind certain sneaker collaborations. The conversation shifts to the rising star Anthony Edwards and his impact on the...

There are companies that sell shoes. And then there are companies that shape the way an entire generation experiences them. Eastbay was the latter... and most people have no idea how improbable the whole thing was. Art Juedes and Rick Gering started Eastbay out of a store in Wausau, Wisconsin. Two coaches with 16 years of combined college education, zero business courses between them, and a vision...

Mike sits down with Al Baker, the artist behind Deadstock Anatomies, for a Coffee Time Kicks conversation about turning sneakers into framed art pieces inspired by entomology, the science of pinning insects. Al breaks down how a wife's passion for bug collecting led to taking apart a Jordan 1 and never looking back, the time he split a Red October down the middle and made $6,000 doing it, why the...

If you grew up flipping through the Eastbay catalog, this one's for you. Mike sits down with Art and Rick, the two men behind one of the most beloved institutions in sneaker and athletic culture. Born two days apart in the same hospital, lifelong friends, and eventual business partners... their story is one of those rare ones that almost sounds made up. They break down how a simple idea rooted in...

Christina Faith has been building for 20 years. She started with a DSLR in 2006, ran a record label, launched her first business in college, and has now opened a 2,500 sq. ft. creative production space that's also becoming a live music venue. She's self-taught, faith-driven, and one of the most grounded voices in the creative space right now. In this Coffee Time Kicks conversation, Mike sits down...

You probably know I've got a love-hate relationship with running. But when Raziq Rauf, the guy behind the Running Sucks Substack, sent me his new book This Is Running , I couldn't put it down. So I figured I needed to get him on the show. Raz is a former music journalist, BBC and Guardian contributor, USATF running coach, and now author of what is genuinely a cultural history of running in the 21s...

Mark Strong didn't have a design background. He didn't have a factory connection. He had an idea, a Garrison contest entry, and the kind of stubbornness it takes to actually see something through. Four-plus years later, he's got a shoe. The SV1 "Radici" — 60 pairs, hairy suede uppers, Vibram soles, and laces sourced from the same Tennessee tannery that makes Rawlings baseball glove leather. We tal...

Rohit caught up with producer Billy Burke and writer/producer Terrence Watson to talk about Meal Ticket , their documentary about the McDonald's All-American Game, now streaming on Amazon Prime. These two have serious resumes... Billy produced New York City Point Gods , and Terrence has worked with everyone from Gatorade to creative duo Coodie Simmons and Chike Ozah. But Meal Ticket might be their...

The World Cup is almost here, and the sneaker game around it is already delivering. Nick, Robbie, and Rohit break down everything from Nike's Air Max soccer boot hybrids and country-specific colorways to adidas' Federation Pack Sambas for Japan, Mexico, and Italy. They get into the Jordan Brand x Brazil situation, why traditional colors still matter on the global stage, and how this year's release...

Andrew Dutton, better known as @ad__sneaks on Instagram, has built one of the most recognizable sneaker photography accounts anywhere online. Hundreds of thousands of followers. Features from Complex. Brand invitations to NBA All-Star Weekend. And a coffee table book, The Art of the Sneaker , releasing March 24th , that nobody saw coming... including him. Nick and Andy get into how a digital media...

Pete Forester and I have been circling each other in the sneaker and streetwear editorial world for well over a decade. Pete worked at Kith under Ronnie Fieg, wrote news for Complex Sneakers, covered the industry for Esquire, hosted two seasons of High Snobiety's From the Ground Up, and was editorial director at StockX. He also wrote the Sole Collector article that introduced the world to StockX b...

Amado Rodriguez Jr. started his blog, The Official Encyclopedia Sneakérica, with one goal... to do for sneakers what Encyclopedia Britannica did for everything else. No hype. No "buy it now" buttons. Just the deep cuts, the real history, and the stuff that gets lost when everybody's chasing the algorithm. He's @SneakerProfiler on Instagram, a B-boy whose parents came from Puerto Rico, a military v...

The whole crew is back together... Nick, Mike, Robbie, and Rohit are all in the same (virtual) room for the first time in a while, and things get weird before they get good. From confusing their Thugs (Young vs. Slim, no disrespect to either) to breaking down the Reebok Engine A26 and the adidas x Spider collab dropping March 3rd, the guys cover a lot of ground this episode. The real meat of the c...

Steph Curry's sneaker free agency has him wearing heat from every brand, while Under Armour gets petty by stealing Curry Brand's Instagram followers. We debate where he should sign next (spoiler: maybe nowhere), compare this to Kobe's free agency, and break down why UA's downfall feels inevitable. Is Sunday Red the move? Should he just keep wearing whatever he wants? And why does Under Armour's lo...

JT, AKA The Sneaker Savant, has been in the sneaker world long enough to remember when eBay was church, when Dadas sold out, and when nobody questioned either of those things. He's been a fixture in the Sneaker History Discord for years, built a following on Instagram under @TheSneakerSavant, writes over at thesneakersavant.substack.com, and has been quietly one of the most interesting thinkers in...

Is there a better place for All-Star Weekend sneaker releases than Los Angeles? Join for as low as $5 per month to listen to this epsiode and access tons of other content. https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory SUPPORT THE SHOW: Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhistory Early Access, Exclusive Videos, and Content On Patreon: https://patreon.com/sneakerhistory Subscribe on Substack: http...

In this episode of the Sneaker History Podcast, Mike and Rohit dive into the latest sneaker culture trends, including their recent picks and the buzz around the Costco Dunk. They also review J. Cole's new double album, discussing its themes and production quality, before transitioning to a discussion about the new Marvel series, Wonder Man, and its character-driven storytelling. Subscribe to the n...

In this episode of the Sneaker History Podcast, host Mike Guillory welcomes Jazerai Allen-Lord, an OG in the sneaker community. They discuss Jaz's journey from skate culture to becoming a respected voice in sneaker media, her experiences in writing and content creation, and the importance of representation and mentorship in the industry. Jaz shares insights on navigating challenges, building resil...

Chris Kaufman co-founded StockX, but this isn't an origin story. We talk about what he learned watching companies destroy culture for quarterly gains, why constant layoffs cost more than just keeping good people, and what leadership actually looks like when you stop pretending you have all the answers. Plus: the Kanye visit, the first StockX trades, and why Detroit was the perfect place to build s...

Nike dropped the Mind 001 and the internet had opinions. One of us already bought it and tried it, so we're debating this with actual experience instead of just hot takes. Is this innovation or gimmick? Is Nike breaking new ground or desperately trying to make us care about something... anything? What does this release signal about their bigger strategy? Rohit, Robbie, and Nick argue it out. For D...

An essential update for the podcast moving forward, and what you can expect in 2026. Subscribe to The Sneaker Newsletter: https://www.thesneakernewsletter.com $12/month for industry analysis, insider stories, and deep dives into sneaker history. Podcast listeners: DM me on Substack and mention the podcast for a special discount. SUPPORT THE SHOW: Donate Through Venmo: https://venmo.com/u/sneakerhi...