Sole Friends: Angie.

Please introduce yourself, what is your name & where are you from?

Anjanette Merric but everyone Knows me as Angie and I hail from the Birth Place of Hip Hop, the Boogie Down Bronx.

What was it about sneakers that got you in the game?

What got me in the sneaker game was the versatility on how you could dress them up and or dress them down depending on what occasion you were attending.

What was your first sneaker?

My first sneaker was 2003 Og Neon Air Max 95.

Your favorite pair? (or top 3)

OG Neon Air Max 95 because that’s what started my love for sneakers.

Rookie of the Year Air Jordan 1’s because when those dropped I just landed a cooperate role working in the footwear industry.

New Balance 990 grey colorway because it’s such a versatile shoe that you can dress up and dress down.

Your favorite sneaker memory.

Favorite Sneaker Memory was the 2010 release of the Cool Grey Air Jordan 11’s. My friends and I went to stand online at the BX Sports on White Plains Road in the Bronx and we waited in line 6 hrs to cop a pair. We finally made it to the front of the line and the store employees was like we only got 4 pairs left in size 7 kids , so if you on this line and you not the next 4 people and you ain’t a size 7 then it’s a DUB for you. My friends and I were like we all size 7 and we ended up skipping like 6 other people on the line because it wasn’t their size.

Do you consider yourself a collector of sneakers? & Do you wear your sneakers?

I consider myself a collector.

Yes, I wear my sneakers but there are certain pairs that I just won’t wear or only wear on special occasions.

What's your favorite brand of sneaker and why?

I would have to say Nike, because they have so many collaborators and so many gems that people sleep because they all want the hype footwear. But there is such an untapped market with there sustainability product that people are not looking into.

What are a pair of grails to you? (Could be a pair in your closet or in general)

Chicago Bred Air Jordan 11’s, I bought this shoe with my first paycheck after graduating college. So they have some sentimental value for me.

Your favorite sneaker campaign?

I look at sneaker campaign as brand positioning moments in time and lately vendors such as Puma, Reebok, and Fila have gotten some heavy hitters on there rosters to bring relevancy back to their brands in order to capture the Generation Alpha consumers.

Take for instance Fila, in my perspective them tapping Hailey Beiber to relaunch there iconic retro styles was an impressive marketing tactic as the Generation Alpha has been on the retro trend. Combining someone who has relevancy to that audience along while tieing in your brands heritage is tools for a successful campaign.

A must have for your closet? (A recommendation)

A must have for me is a high top sneaker, I love the way it looks when you pair it with skirts or cargo pants, it just gives your fit that extra flare.

What is a shoe that you REFUSE to buy, why?

Yeezy Foam Runners.

If you got the chance to sit in a meeting w/ a sneaker brand, what would you ask/recommend/ask/say?

The question I would ask, is How important is Diversity and Inclusion to your brand, and can you give examples on how your brand exemplifies this?

Most you’ve ever spent on sneakers?

$900.00 Balenciaga Speed Kint 2.0 High Top.

A sneaker you regret sleeping on?

I slept on the Union Air Jordan 1 Retro Black Toe.