By Cheyenne Chia

In the grand scheme of life’s years, our lived experiences remain with us through this unstable, intangible wisp known as memory. And as most of us have unfortunately experienced, time’s arrow is a piercing weapon that oft ruptures this fallible membrane which encloses our most precious encounters.

This universal fragility has birthed an intrinsic human want to preserve significance — be it an awe-inspiring event, a beautiful landscape, or just an elegant movement that has intrigued us. Back in the day, our prehistoric ancestors carved petroglyphs, but as technology morphs our engagement with the world, photographs have become the human way of immortalising ourselves and the things we appreciate most.

In the realm of sneakers, photography’s productive capacities extends beyond safeguarding against the decay of memory. For Sydney-residing Andersont Giovanni, it is through the camera lens that his passion is captured, allowing him to express the heart and sole of his interests in sneakers and streetwear. His cultivated aestheticism has earned him a dedicated following over his years in the community, with his posts shared across editorials from around the world. Through this, Andersont’s photography has allowed his personal collection to become a shared “memory” with thousands of others, furthering the appreciation of this niche.

In September, we had the opportunity to speak with the man himself over email. We delved deep into how sneakers are part of fashion’s modern language, his tips on how to shoot sneakers, and learnt what a photographer’s eye view of the sneaker landscape looks like:

Q: Hi Andersont! Could you share with us your first encounter with the street scene and what keeps you actively participating in it as a photographer? 

My journey goes back all the way to the year of 2016, where it was a pivotal moment for new sneaker enthusiasts joining the community thanks to the global YEEZY boom. It was a point where the brand acted as a catalyst to engage people into the culture, and I was one of them. Scrolling daily on my Instagram feed, I was really inspired to see insanely dope pictures from talented photographers & content creators during that time who posted cool sneaker photos. One day, that overwhelming urge just grew inside of me and I kept telling myself I’ll learn photography and create my own content. I was determined to have my work featured on the leading sneaker/streetwear online platforms. That flow keeps me going till this day.

Q: How did you come to the conclusion that sneakers and street fashion would be your niche in photography? 

I was never sure that this would be something that people would love when I first started. Through trial and error, I kept posting content that looked aesthetically pleasing to me. I sought feedback from my peers on what was lacking. As time passed, I rode with the flow knowing that I’m able to improve on my shooting and editing skills. I’m just grateful to be able to share my passion in sneakers and street fashion with the community. As soon as my work got reposted on bigger social media accounts (HYPEBEAST, Nice Kicks, Highsnobiety, etc.) that was when I realised people do enjoy my artwork.

Q: As a photographer, what stands out to you about a sneaker’s design? 

These aspects differ depending on the photographer, I normally assess the shape of each pair. I’m not a fan of flat shoes for shooting. Colour and shape play a huge role in my selection. An additional aspect I consider is the history of the shoe.

Q: Any equipment recommendations when shooting sneakers & street fashion?

I highly recommend prioritising good lighting rather than having a fancy camera. Any decent DSLR/mirrorless will do, lens wise I suggest 35mm or 50mm f1.8. 

Q: How big is your sneaker collection? Are there any pairs of sneakers within your collection that you have fond or unique memories of? 

I consider myself to have a minimalist collection. I have 20 pairs in my arsenal now which I consider my grails. My collection, at its biggest, used to have 50 pairs of sneakers, but I decided to trim it down. The ‘Yeezy Boost 350 Turtle Dove’ is my first grail sneaker which intrigued me into the whole sneaker culture and photography. 

Next, the ‘Off-White x Air Jordan 1 Chicago’ that was part of the original ‘The Ten’ collection by the late Virgil Abloh. This sneaker has been with me since 2017 and was the first Air Jordan 1 collaboration to land in my collection. To me, 2017 was one of the peak nostalgic moments of the global sneaker culture. I’m a fan of Virgil Abloh and Off-White, he was a brilliant designer and all his work is truly amazing. I’m just grateful to have this pair in my collection. 

Q: You mentioned in an interview that a sneaker’s design represents its legacy and craftsmanship of its creators. Which sneaker designs and their stories are the most memorable to you? 

Virgil Abloh and his epic innovation and ‘Nike x The Ten’ designs shall remain as a legacy to the global fashion phenomenon. Kanye West’s YEEZY line and Jerry Lorenzo’s Fear of God x Nike collaboration do exist in the hall of legacy too.

However, out of these three, Kanye’s YEEZY story is the most memorable for me. Love him or hate him, the man is a global influence affecting the tides of the sneaker and fashion scene with every step he takes and every brand he chooses to sport. From turning the flyknit trainer into a cult classic, while single-handedly making the adidas Ultraboost a definitive athletic shoe, Kanye is the catalyst for the last decade’s noteworthy trends. His second signature shoe with adidas, the ‘Yeezy Boost 350’ absolutely slaughtered the reigning era of Nike’s Roshe Run. That gigantic moment is what catapulted YEEZY to be a stapled brand withholding its prestige in modern street fashion.

Q: Could you share with us more about the resale scene in Australia? 

Through the past years, the market has grown bigger, as more people are aware of how huge the sneaker industry is and the marketplace it caters for. As a creator, I’m glad to be able to contribute and bring the best content for people to enjoy. 

Q: What is your thought process when purchasing sneakers on the resale market? 

I would understand the supply and demand of that pair as that is what drives the price fluctuation. In addition, knowing whether a release is a highly sought after collaboration is crucial too. Classic pairs like Air Jordans would have better resale longevity in the marketplace.

Q: Do you have any memorable resale experiences? What was the most expensive shoe you’ve bought or sold? 

June 2017, the Supreme x Louis Vuitton global release with the pop-up shop in Sydney, Australia. It was a really fun experience for me to camp out 3-5 days with a few mates as we queued for the drop. I managed to have exciting conversations with sneakerheads, fashion enthusiasts, and resellers. The most pricey pair I’ve bought is the triple collab of Air Jordan 1 Low x Fragment x Cactus Jack, a pair I would never regret paying resell for, worth every penny!

Q: When it comes to sneakers, do you prefer collaborative pieces or classic silhouettes? 

I do prefer collaborative pieces. Best of both worlds! You get history and exclusivity from the collaboration, especially if both brands are really respectable and prestigious. Such pieces would have sustainable value, making them great investments.

Q: We saw in your previous interview that, for you, sneakers are part of fashion’s modern language. Could you let us know how you arrived at this idea? 

The idea just popped out in my head based on what I’ve been noticing from my surroundings. Some people love a monochromatic, minimalistic sneaker while some people love colourful, vibrant, and loud sneakers. Their choices indirectly show their preference in fashion. It speaks on who they are which is beautiful. If everyone has the same taste, the world would be too mundane. These differences, to me, act as an indirect ‘language’ for each individual to express their sense of fashion.

Q: Do you have some styling tips you can share with people just getting into street fashion? 

Life is too short, please just wear whatever you like! Ignore all the haters or people that try to bring you down regarding your fashion taste, you owe them nothing and none of what they say matters. If it makes you happy and it’s not offensive in any way, go for it champ!

Q: We’d love to hear your opinion or hot takes on the sneaker/street culture in Australia. 

There has been a switch in what society used to love in 2016 compared to 2022. In 2016, everyone was all about the boostvibes! adidas dominated the sneaker year in 2016 until mid 2017. End of 2017, Nike came back with an uppercut launch of the Off-White x Nike ‘The Ten’ collaboration. People started to switch their interest back to Nike. I’d say most people are into Nike to this day. Every time I head out, I would see at least 5 pairs of Nike Panda Dunk Lows. In my humble opinion, the whole adidas’ boost effect lost its charm due to oversaturation, especially given the amount of pairs released to the market after Yeezy’s V2 era.

*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Special thanks to Andersont Giovanni for the insightful interview and images. You can find more of his stylish fits and aesthetic sneaker photography on Instagram.

More SNKRDUNK Interviews:

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Real or Fake? SNKRDUNK Authenticator Kaoru Nohara Can Tell You

Virtually Real: Hartcopy’s Tim Suen on NFTs & Digitized Sneaker Culture

How to Start Your Own Creative Studio in Singapore: Tell Your Children

Sneaker Collecting as a Student in Singapore: Marcus Ho

Sneakers, But Make it Art: Felt Kenn Makes Sneakers Out of Felt

Connor McWhinnie: Streetwear’s Skittles Imitator