Brand and lifestyle management expert Mike “Upscale Vandal” Camargo’s sneaker hoard rivals those of today’s biggest collectors.
Name a designer who has kicks out today, and Camargo has something bearing their name. The social media style standout’s lineup of sneakers is vast and diverse and features looks any and all sneakerheads wish they had, including Nike Mag and Fragment Design Jordan 1.
Upscale Vandal shared with Footwear News what sneakers he owns and the pairs he’s still looking for.
NUMBER OF PAIRS
“Last time I counted, it was 580 — 320 in the house and the rest in storage.”
CLOSET BALANCE
“It’s about 80 percent sneakers and 20 percent boots, designer shoes and mocs.”
WHEN HE’S NOT IN SNEAKERS
“I’m probably in Timberland boots. I’m from Brooklyn, N.Y., so it’s a rule to have the wheat double-sole leather ankle boot. It’s the gospel. I literally have to force myself to wear colored Timberlands. Or Visvim, I have a lot of Visvim.”
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BRAND MIX
“There’s not one sneaker designer I don’t have in my closet. I pride myself in how eclectic my brand mix is — Saucony, Karhu, Puma, Vans, Nike, Adidas, Jordan, Visvim, Balenciaga, New Balance — I even have Umbro and Diadora. I have every designer you can think of that has made a shoe.”
STANDOUT STYLES
“Nike Mags are obviously No. 1. If you want to shut the show down, it’s a showstopper. I had four pairs of Mags at one point. I have the Comme des Garçons collab with Visvim they did for Dover Street Market in both colors — they’re called the Marketing Machine FBTs. My holy grail is the Nike Unkle Dunk. Fragment Design Jordan 1 is another showstopper.”
ALL-TIME FAVORITE SHOE
“Nike Air Pillar TN. It was the shoe that made me fall in love with sneakers and was the first shoe I ever bought with my own money.”
PAIR I’LL NEVER GIVE AWAY
“Somebody gave me a colorway of the Nike Air Pillar TN that was an exclusive for women. It’s not in my size, but it’s very special to me because it was the shoe that started my sneaker obsession in a color I had never seen.”
MOST LUXURIOUS PAIR
“These red Visvim Shaman FBTs. They’re made of pony hair and retail for like $1,400.”
SNEAKER COLLECTOR’S CLOSET I’D LIKE TO RAID
“That I haven’t raided already? Mayor — his closet is [unparalleled]. Nobody’s closet is [comparable] to Mayor’s.”
MOST I’VE PAID
“Probably $3,400 for the Nike Mag.”
LEAST I’VE PAID
“Thirty dollars for Kentucky Nike Dunks from the college pack. I found them on sale in Minnesota. They had every color for $30, so I bought every color and shipped them back to my house.”
PAIR I NEED TO BUY
“Man, a million pairs. A Holy Grail? I’d say the Supreme x Nike Trainer SB in blue and yellow.”
FAVORITE TREND OF TODAY
“Designer collabs. The fact that Acronym is doing something with Nike, the fact that Riccardo Tisci is doing something with Nike, the fact that all these designers are getting the opportunity to work on shoes I grew up loving is ill to me.”
MUST-HAVE STYLE FOR SNEAKER FANS
“The Nike Air Force 1.”
