Featured Collector: Lars Frind (@bboylaspin)

Greetings from the USA, 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?

Hi, my name Is Lars aka Bboylaspin 45 Years from Germany. I completed an apprenticeship as a civil engineering specialist (road builder) and worked in this profession until 2013.

My passion for Michael Jordan started after his comeback on March 18, 1995. I had played basketball and after I saw his first game on March 19, 1995 Michael Jeffrey Jordan became a big part of my life. My child bedroom was full of his posters and I collected Jordan basketball cards from 1986 -1998. I still own around 700 cards!

When I played basketball I always wore Jordans. The Jordan 8 Aqua was my first one, then the the Concord 11, which was my all time favorite, then also the Playoff 12 and "He Got Game" Jordan 13s

When Michael Jordan left the NBA again, it wasn't the same for me. I still wore Jordans, but more as everyday wear and lifestyle items. The collecting only started after I bought the 2008 11/12 Countdown Pack.

How would you describe your collecting style?

OG over all! I am a Jordan 1-13 Collector. I know the Story behind the Jordan 14 Last Shot but I don't feel them. My shoe of the 6th Jordan championship IS the Jordan 13s. I love all OG colourways 1-13s that Michael Jordan played in, but also other general release only in the US/Asia and also collaborations like Bin Premio, Doernbecher, Pinnnacle, Trophy Room, Travis Scotts, and many more.

It's important for me is also the Shoe must BE wearable thats the reason my current collection starts from 2000 onwards. The exception is my 1985 Chicago that's wearable and in amazing condition for 41 years old. This was the pair I got last year for my 1,000th pair of Jordans, which was perfect for the 40th anniversary.

From your IG account it looks like you have 1,040 pairs of Jordans. What made you focus on Jordans?

Michael Jordan was my hero during my childhood, and I recapture that time with every new pair of shoes. When I have a passion, I give it 100%. I'm not one to follow the hype, nor do I have a sense of value when collecting. Only Js on my feet and another J every day—this is my lifestyle.

What’s the most important sneaker to you in your collection?
My absolute favorite memories are of the Concord 11, which I bought as a child with my hard-earned pocket money; back then the price was 300 German Marks, which was a lot of money for a pair of shoes.

Immediately after that comes the Jordan 1 OG colourway Chicago, which was also the reason why my pair No. 1000 became the Chicago from 1985.

What was your most challenging pickup and why?
My toughest hunt as a German collector, and also my holy grail, was the 2011 Tokyo 5, because my size is a Friends and Family size larger than the regular US 9.5. I finally found the Tokyo 5 in 2014 in amazing condition, complete with the event ticket and the original receipt from the Jordan store in Tokyo. Shortly after, I wore them to a sneaker convention, and it was an indescribable feeling to show off my holy grail to everyone over the years.

Are you more of a collector or investor?
I'm 100% a collector and wear all my shoes without thinking about their value, which is why I have a price limit. Exceptions were the Chicago 1985 and the 2011 Tokyo 5, because in the end they're shoes that you have to wear 😜.

How do you usually find your best sneaker wins?

Currently, due to global inflation, it's the best time for collectors, as 90% of releases can be bought on sale. Otherwise, I buy a lot of my shoes in the USA and Asia, which are much cheaper than resale prices in Germany due to the weak dollar.

You have almost 9,000 Instagram posts. Where does your account name come from? Are you a current or former bboy? When did you get on Instagram? How does it add to your collector journey?

I started using Instagram in 2013 with the goal of building friendships and connections so that, as a German collector, I could own all the other Jordans that were only released in the USA and Asia.

I never thought that one day I would be so well-known as a German collector thanks to my social media Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, and that I would inspire and excite other sneakerheads with my passion and content.

When I started with Instagram back then, I chose my name as a breakdancer "Bboylaspin". I have been dancing since 1999 and have been an active breakdancer and coach for 15 years and still am, financing one long passion with another.

You also have some amazing photography with your sneaker work. Do you have professional training in that?

When I first started on Instagram, I took my photos with my smartphone. I was already very creative back then and quickly inspired other sneakerheads with my photos. But when I got my first Canon camera for Christmas 2013, photography became a new passion. Thanks to my creative ideas and the superb image quality, my account grew rapidly, and more and more people around the world followed me and my content.

What sneaker or trend do you think is being slept on right now?

That's a good question. In my opinion, all Jordan shoes. Due to inflation, the shoe market is also broken, and most shoes have lost their value. I find it sad that people only wear and collect shoes because of their perceived value. What's much more important is the story behind the shoe and the person behind it, the greatest basketball player of all time, Michael Jordan.

I agree on Jordan being the GOAT. What’s one sneaker you regret selling or missing out on?

I've never sold a pair of Jordans from my collection. Regarding the question of regret, here's the story: I skipped all releases from mid-2018 onwards because a friend from the USA was selling off his collection, and thanks to him, I got many rare Jordans for my collection. Back then, I missed releases like the Travis Scott 4, Levi's 4, Off-White UNC, Solefly 1, both Union 1s, and many, many more, all of which I now own in my collection.

What advice would you give new collectors today?

First, collect and wear your shoes. Consider their value. Learn about the history of the shoes and watch DVDs or documentaries like "The Last Dance" to understand that Michael Jordan is a legend and that you're wearing a piece of history on your feet. And this is also very, very important: rock, don't stockpile, but keep them clean and rock what you like!

What pair are you actively hunting right now?

I'm not really looking for a specific Jordan shoe right now, since there are tons of releases this year, especially many that are only available in the US and Asia. February alone is crazy! 🙈 My goal is to own every release for my collection each year, so I can actually wear them. Of course, I do have a wish list. At the top of my list are the Valentine 8 women's exclusive and the Aliali May Jordan 6 women's exclusive. Both are very hard to find in my size (US 12 women's). I'd also love the 2013 XQ Jordan 1 High, both J2K Jordan 1s from 2012. But I just let things unfold naturally each year, since it's a very expensive passion, but a very, very important part of my life. ‼️It's an endless love ‼️

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