An Australian sneakerhead opened a collection of 200 pairs worth $150,000 to share about his favorite shoes and how he keeps them all clean.
A young Melbourne woman known simply as “Monsieur Banana” said she grew up in an era where MTV was “king” and hip-hop style and fashion were all the rage, encouraging her to take shoes seriously.
‘I was intrigued by Japanese menswear and streetwear. “Most of the items I wanted were nowhere to be found at the time, let alone for purchase,” he said.
“I have always paid attention to shoes and I remember seeing pictures of Pharrell at Bapestas. I really wanted them but in the early 2000s Bape products were hard to find and very hard to find.
A young Melbourne woman known simply as “Monsieur Banana” said she grew up at a time when MTV was “king” and hip-hop style and fashion were all the rage, encouraging her to take shoes seriously.
‘I was intrigued by Japanese menswear and streetwear. I couldn’t find many of the items that I was bored with, stop buying them then,” he said.
‘I finally bought my first pair of Bapestas (which was too big for me at the time) when I visited the BAPE store in Hong Kong in 2006.
“That was the beginning of my passion, and then I naturally moved on to sneakers from sportswear brands like Nike and Jordan.”
Now Monsieur Banana has a thriving social media presence with 44,000 followers who want to see every shoe update and “new launch”.
‘I love sneakers for the design, history, history and innovation behind them; All these elements are the reason for my collection.”
‘Some people love sports, this is my equivalent! The feeling that sports fans feel about an upcoming match gives me a new sense of decline.”
Over the past few years, men and women have swapped dress shoes for trainers and visited websites like StockX to add to their collections.
“I wear all of my sneakers once or twice, which makes them less valuable than dead or brand new,” he said.
They have become the basic choice of shoes for those who want to look stylish and feel comfortable.
“I wear all of my sneakers even once or twice, which makes them less valuable than dead or brand new,” he said.
“I’m not buying sneakers with the intention of reselling, there’s nothing wrong with that. With secondary sales platforms, buying and selling sports shoes has become this easy and simple.”
The most expensive shoe I bought from the used market was the Nike SB x Ben Jerry Chunky Dunky Dunk Low released in 2020.
They were priced at AUD 160 but resold for $5,000 on StockX in brand new condition.
The most expensive shoe I bought from the used market was the Nike SB x Ben Jerry Chunky Dunky Dunk Low, released in 2020.
Monsieur Banana’s eyes are set on two upcoming releases in collaboration with New Balance, including the 2002R pair of Joe Freshgoods 9060 sneakers and Melbourne-based sneakers and fashion boutique Up There Store.
You’d think it’s hard to keep them clean with so many trainers, but the young Melbourne sneaker junkie has a few foolproof tricks up her sleeve.
For all-leather uppers, wipe them occasionally with a baby wipe to keep them cool.
Monsieur Banana’s eyes are set on two upcoming releases in collaboration with New Balance, including the 2002R pair of Joe Freshgoods 9060 sneakers and Melbourne-based sneakers and fashion boutique Up There Store.
“I wear all my sneakers, but since I have so many shoes I only wear a few of them once or twice so they can stay pretty clean,” she said.
“Protecting them is extremely important, so be sure to spray the safety shoe before wearing it for the first time.
The golden rule of keeping your white sneakers white is this: Never wear them on a rainy day! I always check the weather forecast before going out, if it rains I prefer dark shoes instead.
“Remember to protect first, never wear in the rain, and clean over time if needed.”
Source: Daily Mail
