Before Danial Mok was seaboardshellshock, he was a kid whose parents had good taste in sneakers. Today, he is a grown man who has inherited his parents’ eye for impressive kicks. Check out his collection and you’ll see that Mom and Dad did good.
By Kim Hana
Photos by Haq Anuar
How many pairs of shoes do you own?
I have about 215 pairs currently sitting in my room and in the storeroom. I was in the midst of clearing all the old expired shoes when you guys came knocking.
How long have you been in “The Sneaker Game”, i.e., collecting?
Started collecting when I was 16, right after the ‘O’ Levels. So it’s probably been about 15 years.
We understand your love for sneakers all began with your parents. Tell us more.
Back in the day, my dad was rocking Nike Air Force One and Adidas Stan Smith to work as an engineer at Singapore Telecom. As for my mom, she was into Asics and Reebok. That’s why my elder sister and I started wearing Nike, Adidas and New Balance sneakers from when were little. The good thing about having cool parents is that they totally understand your sneaker addiction.
What was the very first pair of sneakers your parents bought you?
Nike Oceania ’82 and I still have them till this day.
What was the very first pair of sneakers you bought?
Nike Air Force One Mid (White/Red) from Hagisno located at Peninsular Excelsior Hotel.
The Supreme x Nike Blazer SB in red and black are the most expensive sneakers in Danial’s collection
You have a unique collection in which quite a substantial number of pairs are in kids’ sizes. Why do you collect kids’ size shoes?
Some of these baby/kids’ sneakers were actually worn by me when I was little. I decided to keep them as they held sentimental value. When I grew up, I thought why not add to my existing collection and that’s how I ended up with quite a number of kids’ size shoes. They could definitely be of use in the future!
Which is the most expensive pair in your collection?
It would have to be the Supreme Blazers. I got both the red and the black ones for $599 or $699 each.
What are your thoughts on Singapore’s sneaker buying and/or collecting scene?
I have to say that kids nowadays have impressive spending power so they manage to get their hands on really good sneakers. Local stores also carry way better stuff now. In the past, eBay was the only way to get good sneakers from the US and the UK.
Where do you usually go to acquire your sneakers?
Favorite local spots include Leftfoot, Limited Edt, Nike Performance Store and online. I do have my own personal shoe handler who is a close friend of mine. He’s my go-to guy when I want my sneakers. Big shout out to Fahmy213, thank you for always hooking me up with great sneakers. Not forgetting Zaini Telur from Nike Performance, Sebs Blanka from Limited Edt and the Leftfoot ’04 crew.
How do you care for and store your collection?
I always air my sneakers for one to two days after wearing them. Then I put them in Ziplocks and vacuum-pack them just to minimize the oxidation rate of the midsoles. I also Jason Markk my sneakers every two months.
What are some fond memories you have from collecting?
The camp outs for sneakers were great fun. I got to meet a lot of people along the way who have become good friends with me.
What shoes are you currently on the hunt for?
Nike Air Spiridon ’97 (Blue Colorway) Sz US 9.5, Nike Air Zoom Haven ’00 (Ultraman Colorway) Sz US 9.5, Vans Sk8 Hi Supreme Public Enemy (Black Colorway) Sz US 9, Nike Air Max 1 Atmos ’12 (Tiger Camo/Snake) Sz US 9 and Nike Air Max 1 Clot ’12 (Kiss of Death 2) Sz US 9. Sole Searching, take note!
If you had to sell everything except for one pair, which would that be?
This is by far the most difficult question to answer. Probably my navy Vans Era x Wtaps (Crossbones). I love them a lot. It’s something that I can wear everyday.