Some fathers pass down names to their sons. Some children inherit their parents’ businesses. And some sons take on their parents’ passion for collecting shoes. This is the case for junior Braxton Kimura. Over the past few years, Kimura has been collecting various styles of shoes, inspired by his parents who’ve done the same.

   “Both my mom and dad are sneakerheads, so it’s part of my DNA,” Kimura said.

  However, it wasn’t until high school that Kimura gained interest in starting a collection for himself.

  “I didn’t really get serious about it until I got my first pair of Kobes when I was a freshman,” Kimura said. “And it really just started from there.”

   Since he bought his first shoe, Kimura has developed an affinity for Kobes, inspired by his love for shoes and basketball. Kobes are a line of basketball shoes designed by former basketball player and NBA hall-of-famer Kobe Bryant.

   “I like Kobes because I play basketball, and Kobe was a great basketball player,” Kimura said. “I think Kobes are known to be the best basketball shoe, not just for the way they look, but for their performance, which I think are the two most important aspects of a shoe.”

   With a large collection of shoes, Kimura tries to showcase each of his shoes either when playing basketball or throughout the school day.

   “I try to wear all of them when I can,” Kimura said. “If you see me in practice or a game, I’m always wearing different shoes I have just so I can show each one of them some love.”

   Kimura’s collection continues to grow as new shoes are released or old pairs resurface. He waits patiently to find the right shoe or a shoe for a good price.

   “I don’t have a schedule of how often I buy a pair of sneakers,” Kimura said. “Shoes are like art. There is a story behind each pair, and the one that resonates with me and looks good is the one I add to my collection. Every single pair I own is a personal and fashion statement.”

   As he has gotten more involved in sneaker collecting, Kimura has grown to appreciate the sneakerhead culture. He immerses himself in the community by entering raffles or attending sneaker events, such as Sneaker Con, a global convention where people can sell or trade shoes.

   “Whether it’s waking up at 7 a.m. in the morning to get into a sneaker drawing, or waiting in a long line for a lottery ticket, or finding a seller who copped on release day, that’s what sneakerhead culture is to me,” Kimura said. “There is a community out there that does this all the time, so it’s fun and competitive.”