Featured Collector: @7PieceSpecial (Mars)

What's up Mars, thanks for doing the interview. Give us a little background on yourself, where are you from, what you do for work or fun, and how did you get into sneaker collecting?

I go by Mars and I’ve been into sneakers for about 15-17 years heavily. I work a part-time job while studying computer certifications. I got into sneakers as a kid, shoes were always special for some reason, so I developed a strong love for them early on and then really fell in love with the niche side where samples, PEs, promos, would start catching my attention. I've come to know some of the other names in the space and finally decided to make my own Instagram page.

Welcome to the Instagram sneaker fun! How would you describe your collecting style?

Extremely niche - I collect what I like, what’s odd, and somewhat unique shoes. Which is why I gravitated towards samples. Some are extremely odd!

Within the rare samples and unique shoes you look for, are there any models or brands that stand out as your focus?

Brand wise I like to stick with Nike. I would rather my page focus on that brand but I'm not against picking up others. Only very specific models if so. I think I have one pair of Adidas posted that are unreleased from FW/26. As far as specific models with Nike, I would say no. A lot of the time it's whatever catches the eye with them. I do specifically hunt for Kentucky and Oregon PEs when I can.

What’s the most important sneaker to you in your collection?

Shockingly - it’s a Nike TR1 Promo Sample. The reason? because it was the first shoe I found on my own while hunting for affordable samples. It was DS (deadstock) and there was not much documentation on it. It was the Barry Sanders version, also DS. It was a cool and proud moment.

What was your most challenging pickup and why?

LeBron Soldier “Oregon” PE - the reason behind this one was actually because I had to use the OregonGrail Instagram (Yes, you brother!) to verify the legitimacy of it. You had a similar pair signed by Sabrina Ionescu and I immediately went on the hunt for the other two colorways. I couldn’t find any info before learning from you and others. And they got lost in shipment for a while. Overall crazy experience and it became quite a challenge.

Are you more collector or investor?

Collector - I don’t really sell shoes. If I do sell a shoe, it’s to buy another one. Investing is nice, but it’s never been my thing with shoes.

How do you usually find your best wins?

An extreme amount of patience because I stay away from most GR (general release) shoes. I like weird, unique, and rare. So trying to find that at an affordable price is hard. You have to search the internet every night, and I do.

That's one thing I think a lot of aspiring or new collectors don't understand. It takes a lot of work to build collections and research online on eBay, social networks, StockX, GOAT, etc. to find the sneakers you want in the size you want at a price you can stomach. What sneaker or trend do you think is being slept on right now?

Air Jordan 8 and 20 are some of my favorite models and the most slept on shoes. Alongside the Air Jordan 15. Between these three shoes, it’s impossible to find fans it feels. But they’re super slept on and amazing.

What is it about the Jordan 8, 15, and 20 models that you like, since this obviously goes against a lot of what most sneakerheads love?

I feel very strongly about the Aqua 8 being the best Air Jordan ever, it's the perfect colorway. The 8 as a whole, I loved the build, the fit (most don't), and I'm not sure many realize it's the first shoe that has zero Nike branding on it. 1-7 all feature it and Tinker thought the Air Jordan name was strong enough at this point to carry the shoe without saying Nike. I could go on for days. The 15 looked very cool, was a great shoe to wear, but never really got any crazy good colorways that made you scream "I need these". I'm sure many know the fighter jet story behind them. They tried to do an SE version in the late 2000s and I enjoyed those too. And I think the 20s are some of the craziest shoes. The box was sick, super comfortable (maybe Top 3 in that as well), and that West Coast pair goes in the Top 10 best ever Jordan shoe. What's even funnier is that the 20 was the first shoe that Tinker designed since the Air Jordan 15, and Gentry Humphries was the one that asked Tinker to do it.

Very cool, I love the focus on some less popular Jordan models. What’s one sneaker you regret selling or missing out on?

Air Jordan 3 “Black Cement” and Air Jordan 8 “Aqua” - I consider the Aqua the greatest Air Jordan ever. No debate. I wish I still had my 2008 pair. It was a bad financial time for myself when I sold them unfortunately.

Undestandable. What pair are you actively hunting right now?

Air Jordan 1 “Xi Qing” from 2008 Beijing Olympics - I had this shoe taped on my door when I was younger. It’s the greatest Air Jordan 1 ever. I personally don’t think I’ll ever own a pair, which is a bold statement. But if you know, you know. It’s absolutely insane.

What advice would you give new collectors today?

Honestly - make connections. If you genuinely love what you do, there are other people that feel the same way. Whenever you communicate and befriend people, don’t do these things expecting rewards in return. If it’s from a genuine spot, I feel you’ll be rewarded overtime rather it be with knowledge or something else. But just because you’re not a millionaire or don’t have tons of money laying around, doesn’t mean you can’t collect what you love.

Great advice and very true. I've learned over time that interacting with other collectors who share the passion is one of the best parts. When I collected before posting anything on social networks, it was pretty isolated and a more of a lonely hobby that I mostly read about in magazines/books and online news sites. I missed out on doing much during the forums era, so this has been really fun for me. Thanks so much for participating and I'm glad you completed the Lebron Soldier Oregon PE in all three colorways!

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