Tell me about yourself. What do you do for a living? How did your 2017 sneaker exposition come about? Is there another one planned?

I’m working on personal projects with a friend of mine (@oumar_dk), around Street Culture and Cinema.HerbbySince’89 Block Party came about after going to Spike Lee’s annual “Brooklyn Loves Michael Jackson” Block Party during Summer 2016. As a Spike Lee and a Do The Right Thing fan, I was amazed that the event takes place at the Do The Right Thing Way in Brooklyn. The people, the energy, the music and Spike Lee’s proximity with the crowd inspired me to develop my own Block Party concept around my main passions, which are Sneakers, Basketball, Hip-Hop & Art. I also made sure to organise the first 2017 edition in my hometown named Noisiel.

How many pairs of sneakers do you own? And, how long did it take for you to amass your collection?

I never share the number of sneakers I own because I buy, rock (& stock...) sneakers for their History. I don’t buy them to have the biggest collection &/or say that I own X sneakers. Sneakers is a passion for me. I don’t consider myself a so-called “sneaker addict” or “sneaker head”: I’m into Sneakers. I started buying sneakers with my own money 10 years ago.

What would you say is the difference between American sneaker culture and French sneaker culture?

American Sneaker Culture is mainly inspired by sports and athletes such as Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Charles Barkley, Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, LeBron James, Andre Agassi, Bo Jackson… French Sneaker Culture is mainly inspired by lifestyle and trends, but also by the American Sneaker Culture.

What's the scoop on Adidas? Everyone in Paris seems to own a pair of Stan Smith white Adidas. Why do you think that is?

I don’t own a pair but Parisians like simple white shoes that they can wear everywhere on a daily basis. The older they get, the better for us!

What's the best limited edition or special edition sneaker?

One of my favorite limited edition sneakers is the Nike Dunk Low Premium QS “Paris” (2018) inspired by the world’s oldest basketball gym created in the 9th district of Paris in 1893.

What's a dead stock sneaker that you wish would be reissued?

The 1995 Andre Agassi’s Nike Air Alarm. They’re FIRE!

Who is your go to source for sneakers in France?

My go-to-source for sneakers are friends who work in the sneaker industry for brands &/or retailers. That’s usually how it works in Paris. If you don’t know anybody from the industry, it’s hard even impossible to get anticipated sneakers.

edited for clarity