The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts sit down with Chris Vidal, one of the original employees at Flight Club and an outspoken figure in the New York City sneaker scene, to trade stories past and present. Vidal contrasts the sneaker resell world of then vs. now, remembers selling the “Justin Bieber” sneakers at Supra, relives pulling out a fake gun during his tenure at Alife, and talks about helping out David Beckha...
Jul 23, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 86
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts sit down with DJ Clark Kent for his second appearance on the show to discuss the recent Sotheby's auction sale of the Scarr's x Nike Air Force 1 for $121,000. Clark, who designed the shoe with Nike, talks about his feelings about the price, the upcoming Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1s, why he'll never wear mids, and more. Also, Joe relives his career in concessions sales with ...
Jul 16, 2021•1 hr 30 min•Ep. 85
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts countdown the 10 best sneakers of the year so far. In selecting the shoes they also break down the criteria and go behind some of the arguments that go into deciding Complex's sneaker lists. How high does the Trophy Room x Air Jordan 1 deserve to be? What's the best New Balance so far? The co-hosts debate these topics while running through the list. Also, Brendan celebrates his ...
Jul 09, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 84
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts talk to Steven Smith, a legendary sneaker designer who's worked at New Balance, Adidas, Fila, Reebok, Nike, and more. While Smith was for many years best known as the creator of the Reebok Insta Pump Fury, he's recently reignited his portfolio by leading sneaker design for Kanye West's Yeezy brand. Here, he discusses his long history in the sportswear industry, battling with Nik...
Jun 25, 2021•1 hr 34 min•Ep. 83
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts talk to Drew Greer, a sneaker industry veteran who started at Nike back in 1994 and helped pioneer its strategy around limited edition and retro footwear. Greer’s long resume includes important shoes like the Wu Tang x Nike Dunk High and the Roc-a-Fella x Nike Air Force 1, which were integral in helping Nike explicitly cross over into hip-hop culture. Greer breaks down his decad...
Jun 18, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 82
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts talk to former NFL Giant and Super Bowl winner Victor Cruz about his sneaker resume. Cruz talks about how he got his own Nike shoe, getting royalties on every pair sold, and the lengths he's gone to to get shoes. He even reveals some details about former teammate Odell Beckham Jr. considering signing with Adidas instead of Nike. Also, Welty relives a college memory of calling ou...
Jun 11, 2021•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 81
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts discuss Virgil Abloh's growing body of Off-White x Nike sneakers, starting at the first release of The Ten in 2017 and extending to the upcoming 50 set of Dunks. How big of an impact have sneakers like the Off-White x Air Jordan 1 had on collaborations and Nike's approach to them in general? Do we really need another 50 pairs this summer? Also, Welty explains his Memorial Day wo...
Jun 04, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 80
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts are joined by Jesse Leyva, a Nike veteran who spent 20 years at the company creating some of its coolest sneakers. As the design director at Nike Sportswear and later the creative director in charge of Nike SB and Nike ACG, he was responsible for sneaker collaborations with Kaws, Geoff McFetridge, Undefeated, Stussy, and many more. Leyva discusses his decades-long history in the...
May 28, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Ep. 79
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts discuss the Nike Dunk, a retro sneaker from 1985 that’s been huge in the past year thanks to SB collaborations and inline styles. But is Nike over-saturating the market with the shoes or should they keep making more? The co-hosts discuss their personal history with Dunks, current resell prices, and some of their favorite pairs old and new. Also: Joe gives some teasers on the nex...
May 21, 2021•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 78
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week they're joined by sneaker industry veteran Jon Wexler to talk about his 18 years at Adidas, which included working with Kobe Bryant and Tracy McGrady and most notoriously signing Kanye West in 2013. He discusses his time with Yeezy and some of the craziest and most notorious moments with the brand, as well as trying to sign Drake to Adidas before Wexler moved on to Shopify in 2020. Hosted on Acast....
May 14, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Ep. 77
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts talk to graffiti writer and graphic designer Haze. The artist talks about his long history working on collaboration sneakers, from his New Balance 574 to his Nike Air Force 1 to the set of Dunks he did in 2003. Haze also discusses building his brand and connecting with Japanese streetwear icons Hiroshi Fujiwara and Nigo. Elsewhere, Welty gets a brief birthday celebration and the...
May 07, 2021•1 hr 12 min•Ep. 76
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts talk to Solebox founder Hikmet Sugoer about his decades in the German sneaker scene, from sourcing sneakers through American military bases to helping bring new energy to brands like New Balance and Asics. Sugoer breaks down his Nike beef, his exit from Solebox, and that time Pharrell didn't recognize his own Dunks. Of course, he also addressed the viral video from last year of ...
Apr 30, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 75
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week, the three co-hosts talk about the most memorable interviews from their shared decades of experience in sneaker media. Joe recalls linking up with Kanye West for an early Complex feature on Kid Cudi, Matt relives meeting Nigo, and Brendan remembers his conversations with industry insiders. Also, the co-hosts discuss sneaker deliveries, workout routines, and a garbage bag full of Mars Yards. Hosted ...
Apr 23, 2021•1 hr•Ep. 74
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys speak to Andre Ljustina aka Croatian Style. Andre shares his story of how a game of pop-a-shot basketball lead to his lifelong passion for sneakers. It's a passion that he has cultivated into becoming not only one of the biggest sneaker collectors around, but also a celebrity plug for stars from all walks of life, from Beyonce and Jay Z to Travis Scott to Mark McGwire and the late DJ AM. Ho...
Apr 16, 2021•1 hr 23 min•Ep. 73
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys speak to Dominic Ciambrone, also known as, the Shoe Surgeon. Dominic shares how he became inspired to create custom designed sneakers with a surprise story that includes Pharrell Williams. He goes on to tell some stories behind some of his custom designs for celebrity clients, what's coming down the pipeline in the future and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information...
Apr 09, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 72
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys speak to Aleali May, the second woman to design an Air Jordan and the first woman to ever design a Jordan 1. Aleali takes us back to the beginning of her career, shares the moment she met Michael Jordan, gives an early sneak peak of her upcoming Air Jordan sneaker release and so much more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Apr 02, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 71
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys speak to Paul Mittleman to discuss his work and mark at brands like Stussy, Adidas and Converse. Paul discusses what it was like being the Creative Director of Stussy at their early stages as well as what it was like working with Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Nigo and Tyler The Creator. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Mar 26, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 70
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys speak to Jason Mayden and Jerry Lorenzo on what their future at Adidas will look like. The guys discuss how their partnership came to be, the importance of not trying to be in competition with Nike, and the impact they believe they will be able to bring to Adidas. Jerry Lorenzo also shares the story behind his 3 stripe tattoo as well as the conversations he's had with Kanye leading up to an...
Mar 19, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 69
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys speak to Dave Ortiz, a true New York legend and co-founder of the sneaker boutique, Dave's Quality Meats. Dave deep dives into his process as an artist and the many collabs he has been apart of over the years. He tells the story of how he came up with one sneaker in particular the Nike Air Max 90 "Bacon." Dave also talks about what lead him to move away from sneakers and what he hopes comes...
Mar 12, 2021•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 68
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys discuss the sneaker reselling business and its recent crossover moment with the resignation of Nike VP Ann Hebert after news broke about her son's reselling business. The guys deep dive into their own personal stories with reselling and when they first saw the beginning stages of what now has become its own industry. Related Articles: Nike VP Resigns After Family Tie to Sneaker Reseller Unc...
Mar 05, 2021•59 min•Ep. 67
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys talk to cultural icon, actor, musician and designer, Edison Chen, the founder of CLOT and designer of the Nike Air Max 1 Clot Kiss of Death. In this episode the guys talk about a number of sneakers Edison was able to create with Nike over the years as well as what he has coming out this year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 26, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Ep. 66
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys talk to Paul Rodriguez, legendary skater and the first skater to ever receive a Nike signature shoe. Paul talks about what it was like becoming part of the brand, knowing Kobe Bryant, his sneaker releases to come and his most recent sneaker additions. Take Our Survey! https://www.survey.fan/complexsneakerspodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Feb 19, 2021•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 65
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys talk to the one and only, Bun B. Bun B shares how he became so connected in the sneaker game and shares his newest addition to his collection, the Air Jordan 1 Retro High Trophy Room Chicago. Take Our Survey! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 12, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Ep. 64
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty. This week the guys host, Dom DeLuca, the owner of the first skate shop to invade Hollywood, Brooklyn Projects. In this episode the guys go back in time to the beginning of Dom's love for sneakers and end with his imprint on the sneaker industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 05, 2021•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 63
Complex Sneakers Podcast hosts Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne, and Matt Welty break down the Complex "Sneaker of the Year" book. Get your copy of the book here: https://www.complex.com/sneaker-of-the-year-the-best-since-85-book Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 29, 2021•57 min•Ep. 62
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys host Marc Eckō the founder of Eckō Unlimited and Complex. He shares stories of his start at Rutgers, moments with Kanye West, and what it was like turning ComplexCon from a concept to a reality. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 22, 2021•1 hr 25 min•Ep. 61
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys host Sonny Vaccaro, one of the most influential sneaker marketing executives of all time. He single handedly changed the way sneaker deals were ideated, created, and executed. Sonny Vaccaro was responsible for some of the most impactful deals of all time such as Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. The guys get into how he got his start, his relationship with some of the big brands now, and his ...
Jan 15, 2021•1 hr 33 min•Ep. 60
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys talk to the founder of Nice Kicks, Matt Halfhill. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 08, 2021•1 hr 15 min•Ep. 59
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week the guys talk about their personal favorite shoes of 2020 and Welty has Nike on his list. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jan 01, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 58
The Complex Sneakers Podcast is co-hosted by Joe La Puma, Brendan Dunne and Matt Welty. This week they have on Rick Williams, the co-owner of Burn Rubber. They get into the early days of the store, working with mega-gamer Ninja, and what its like to share a city with Danny Brown. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 25, 2020•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 59
