Sole Friends: Yaya.
- Smoove The Source.
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Meet our Sole Friend, Yaya Mazurkevich Nuñez. Yaya was born in Santiago, Dominican Republic and raised in Bronx, New York. Ingrained in the art of dressing and the block she grew up on, it was only a matter of time that sneakers became a staple in her daily life.
As vital as Fingerhut's catalog is to a lot of our households, a Puma Guillermo Vilas was Yaya's first name brand sneaker gifted to her in elementary school. Starting her collection took place in her middle school years with Converse Chuck Taylor High's and expanding to the Jordan Olympic 6 Rings that she purchased in high school with one of her first checks.
Obtaining close to 200 pairs of shoes, Yaya says she is "obsessed with footwear". She is a general collector of smoove shoes, she is an advocate for wearing your sneakers. Due to this love for footwear, Yaya has curated a sneaker space for black and brown women within sneakers with Jasmine 'Jixie' Gonzalez, 'InHerSoles Collective'. The celebrated, Yaya was elected to be a part of the Jordan Collective class of 2022. The New York class got to design a pair of retro 2's, "The Lady Liberty".
Of course we asked the footwear connoisseur about her favorite sneaker brand and her FAVORITE pairs! YMN shares her understanding that Nike, Jordan and Converse brands are a part of the foundation of sneaker culture. Not only that but states that they are, "deeply ingrained" in her life story in many ways. White on White Air Force 1's being a Bronx and overall New York sneaker staple, it doesn't shock us that Yaya chose them as one of her favorite pairs. Secondly being the Air Jordan 5's. Followed up with the Air Max TN and 95's. All timeless silhouettes. Grail status to Yaya is the original sample pair of Sanrio Hello Kitty x Nike Presto's.
Flowing into the topic of sneaker campaigns we picked the marketing guru's brain about her favorite sneaker campaigns. Of course Allen Iverson and Reebok Questions with their 'Answer' ads were brought up due to them flooding the televisions during her teenage years. Another honorable mention was Travis Scott collaborating with Jordan brand. YMN finishes this sector with expressing her liking to Yoon Ambush and Nike Nite Sport campaign. The alternative approach is what Yaya enjoyed the most, Ambush highlighted a market that isn't at the forefront for most companies. Continuing on to express her confusion for where story telling has gone for general releases. Understanding the value and the importance of story telling and how that moves the market, Yaya isn't the only sneakerhead to express their confusion and frustration as to the lack of story telling.
Digging a little deeper into Yaya's thought process when it comes to buying in and getting dressed. We asked her about her most expensive purchase, her closet essentials, and a pair she regrets not purchasing. Telling herself she has everything she needs, YMN doesn't fall into the hype purchasing every release. With $500 being the most she's spent on sneakers the fashion forward girl refuses to buy into anything that costs too much.
Us at by.NETWORK would love to thank Yaya for her time
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