GAYLETTER

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.

What should I call you? Sneakerman.

Where are you living now? I’ve been living in Barcelona, Spain since 2015.

How did you start creating masks from sneakers? I’ve been a sneaker collector for more than a decade, and since I’m quite emotionally attached to all the sneakers I have, once their lives came to an end, I felt very emotional about throwing them into the rubbish. So I thought, what can I do with them to give them a second chance — to give them a new life, a new opportunity? How to elevate them into something new and something admired again?

So, I saw some aerodynamic shape in them and I just took the scissors and I started cutting them and literally they transformed themselves into something incredible from my point of view, which is a mask. Also, taking something dirty from your feet and transforming it into something that you can put on your head and look edgy, it’s inspiring. So it’s also about turning things into treasure.

Did you go to fashion school? No, I have no fashion experience or any education in fashion. I’m a self-taught artist. I started making masks three and a half years ago. I bought a sewing machine, and I started improving by watching tutorials on YouTube to learn how to sew. I started making more stuff like jockstraps, armor, gloves, upcycling other sporty clothing stuff, not only sneakers.

When and what was the first mask you made? It was May 2017. The first one was made out of Air Max DN or Air Max Plus. Those are my favorites. I started with them. And still today the masks made from those sneakers are the most iconic models I make. People really love them.

How do you decide which sneaker to use? Sometimes it’s a client’s need. Other times, I’m inspired by the shape or the color. Sometimes they are part of my personal collection, and I decide to not use them as sneakers anymore and transform them into masks. And sometimes, I just go to the secondhand shops, and I choose what talks to me.

Do you like wearing a mask? I love my masks, but I’m not wearing them on the street. I don’t wear them that much at all in my everyday morning routine. When I go to buy bread and stuff for breakfast, I’m not wearing those masks. I would love to wear them for a special event, like events where I’ve been invited as a designer. I would definitely go with my mask on without showing my face.

How does it make you feel when you wear a mask? Something a client said to me that I completely agree with: Someone who’s more dominant in their being wearing a mask makes that dominant side even more powerful. Someone who’s more submissive, wearing that mask makes him or her even more submissive. I think the mask helps you reveal your true face because you cover the face you’re born with — it’s like an upgraded version of yourself and one without inhibition.

Do you have a foot or a sneaker fetish? I would say I have a kink. It’s not like a 100 percent fetish in the sense that I’m attaching sexually to an object. For me, the sneaker comes with energy and personality. But it is definitely something that catches my eye, you know when I see a person, I remember their sneakers, but maybe I’ll forget the color of their sweater.

What’s your favorite sneaker ever produced? Air Max, the Hyper Blue. I like the color and the shape. It’s also because of the stigma that model has  — I’m trying on an everyday basis to fight that stigma. If you wear that sneaker and if you wear a tracksuit then you’re stupid, you are marked in society as someone who doesn’t know how to speak, doesn’t know anything, or is illiterate and dumb. For me, besides what I’m designing, I’m fighting that stigma because you can wear whatever you want and still have a strong personality and enough knowledge to be a decent human being.

Do people discriminate against others who wear sneakers? People discriminate generally. If you’re nicely dressed, people will forget about your flaws and will let you pass as someone literate simply because you’re nicely dressed. But if you are dressed as part of a subculture, you can be the cleverest, most intelligent person, and they will still look at you like, “Oh, look at him.” No matter if you’re in Europe, or in a developing country, or in the United States, it’s just something that people do that drives me crazy. Even RuPaul says, “when you go to a meeting, wear a suit” and I don’t agree with that, that’s not a millennial thing. That may be a boomer’s way of thinking.

How long does it take to make a mask? If I’m starting from scratch to invent a completely new mask, it takes sometimes a whole day, but if I repeat a design that I’ve already made before, I can make it in two and a half or three hours.

Do you consider your masks as art pieces or fashion accessories? They are fashion accessories. I’m aware that masks have been around for a long time but people have become aware of them right now with the pandemic we’re facing. So, masks are going to be even more present after this moment in the fashion sense.

Was your intention to sell your masks from the beginning? When I published the first one on Instagram, I sold it in 24 hours. People started asking how much does it cost? Where did you get it? How did you make it? Can I have it? Will you make it for me? So I started thinking how can I form the price.

When you’re not making masks, what do you do? I’m a writer. I write in my native language, Serbian.

Who is your customer? I would say people who understand their fetish. Collectors who are really passionate about having masks in every color, every shape. They’re obsessed with them.

Did your sales increase because of Covid? I wouldn’t say that they increased because of Covid. People have more time to spend on social networks. These masks are not for medical use. I’ve been banned from Instagram because they think that I’m selling stuff for medical use. I gave them all possible proof that I’m just a designer.

This story was printed in GAYLETTER Issue 13, get a copy here.