“Remastered” is reframing the way we tell sneakers stories and giving new characters from the sneaker world a place to shine outside of the main characters. The industry has rapidly changed, but a lot of the stories stay the same. “Remastered” shares real stories and perspectives about the past, present, and future true to the sneaker community, verified by SoleSavy.
Growing up in Orlando, Florida – what may have been and might still be considered an outer market – made Liv Gonzalez love being on the hunt for sneakers. Growing up in a single-parent household where her mom didn’t love how much she wore sneakers motivated Liv to start working at the age of 16.
“I just started buying my own sneakers, hunting for them. I had friends that were into sneakers too.” She remembers around 2007 and 2008 the forum Female Sneaker Fiend poppin’ off and there being one skate shop in Orlando at the time: Galactic G. That’s where she got “Purpl”e Pigeon SBs for the low, but she even recalls coming up at Men’s Warehouse during the same era.
See how now, 10 years later, Liv’s current work adjacent to sneakers project managing experiential events at an agency for brands like Nike and Levi’s has evolved her love (and hate) relationship for the current state of sneakers.
SoleSavy: Can you talk to me about your first major pickup that’s very memorable for you?
Liv Gonzalez: It was the Old Love/New Love pack. This is when they had the pack that you could split, when Jordans were still being sold in double packs. It was 2006 or 2007, around that time. I was 16.
I asked them if I could just get the Old Loves. I didn’t want the New Loves. I think those are ugly. I bought them at a Footlocker or Champs down at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando. I was so geeked when I left I was swinging my bag like yay! [Laughs.]
I still have them to this day, which is great. I’m really scared to wear them now because they are separating a little bit at the sole, but that was a pair that really got me into J’s.
SS: What’s the worst L you took with a pair of sneakers?
LG: First of all, you can’t spell my name without an L, so I’ve taken a lot of those. I was down in Miami for the Super Bowl in 2020 right before Corona[virus] was happening. I was working an event for Levi’s in Wynwood, close to UNKNWN.
I know a lot of people in Miami that work with sneakers and that work in the resale space. Daily is a spot that does really great resale and consignment. One of the guys from Daily hit me like, “Yo, I know you’re right around the corner. They’re giving away these Air Max 90s [at UNKWN]. You should come pick them up because they’re free.”
I told everybody on my team I’d be right back and I walked my happy ass down to UNKNWN, made friends with one of the guys there, and gave him my size. It was all resellers in there and they were just assholes.
Eventually, they calmed down and a few of them left. He brought out a shoebox for me, and I didn’t even look twice at it. I just thanked him for holding me down and headed back to work.
Later, when I took a look at the label it said size 7… women’s.
Images via UNKNWN
These are 1 of 50! I still have them. I’m never giving them up. It’s in the UM traditional colorway – that green and orange. They’re satin. The box is custom. On the Swoosh, it says 305. There were only 50 handed out and I think 305 made, and I think the rest of the sneakers were all friends and family.
I got my hands on the wrong size, so I hit the dude up really fast. He’s like, “Bro, I can’t do anything for you right now.” He said to let him see what he could do tomorrow. Tomorrow came, and still no luck. He tells me I’m better off either finding someone to swap sizes or selling them.
I’m not selling them. I can’t. There’s no amount of money that’s going to make me happy giving them away. I knew someone who had a 7M and they wouldn’t swap me out. They weren’t even that size! I was tight.
So, they’re just there on my top shelf chillin’, being beautiful. That shoe is the deepest L.
SS: What is something you miss about a time before sneakers as a subculture went mainstream?
LG: I miss how easy they were to acquire. I think that’s my biggest complaint. I’m tired of having to fight the apps. I’m not interested in it. I haven’t bought sneakers that weren’t easy to purchase in so long.
The latest sneakers that I’ve got were a pair of Stray Rats x New Balance 991s. I just got the Billie Eilish 15s, but luckily, I got those through a friend.
I’m not on the apps anymore. I deleted SNKRS. I deleted Confirmed (I don’t wear adidas anyway). I deleted any app I have to deal with a raffle. I’m tired.
SS: Has working in sneakers taken the joy out of it for you?
LG: Absolutely. Customers are assholes. If you aren’t really down to be part of that hustle, don’t do it.
SS: What is something you feel very strongly about – whether it is something you want to criticize or show love to – that’s going on in the space now?
LG: I love that there are women taking up space and that I feel represented. My friend Maria Mora is doing great things and she just keeps moving up into the space in terms of content creation. I think it’s really dope to see women that look like me doing that. On the other hand, I really hate seeing the same influencer girls being used over and over.
I’ve turned into an angry little sneakerhead, and I don’t even want to be called a sneakerhead anymore. I just have what I have. I like what I like. I’m going to wear them and that’s that. It’s unfortunate that it’s changed something I really love, something that has brought me a lot of close friendships I still have to this day. It was a really great community, and it just is not that anymore. It’s so disheartening.
Even when brands try to represent women, I feel like there’s no one doing it really well. We can give kudos to Melody and Aleali, but it’s not hittin’ for everybody. How many sweatsuits can I buy?
There’s not enough variation.
SoleSavy’s Women’s Community provides a safe and inclusive space for women to connect with other women who share a passion for sneakers. Learn more here.
