For those of you who do now know of the #FF #Followfriday hash tag, let me explain:

The idea of #FollowFriday or #FF is to share with Twitter users people that should be followed. People that should be heard. Someone that is worthy of your attention. In a perfect world, the idea behind this is as follows:

@enterusernamehere: give an explanation of why this person is amazingly awesome and then end with #FollowFriday #FF

Now this may seem ridiculous for me to explain this but this is what it really looks like

@username1 @username2 @username3…..@username999 #FollowFriday #FF

It’s just a list of names! So I’ve decided that I’m going to take this idea to another level and give a deeper insight to the user. This week we have my really good friend and long time sneakerhead DigitalRal. So lets get started!

Eon20xx: Who was the main inspiration for you to start collecting sneakers?

DigitalRal: This really started back when I was in high school (1991-1996) as I was that one kid that only had one pair of shoes for the entire school year. So I took care of my shoes knowing the fact that I would not have another pair till next year. Lots of shoes came out in those years that just had me going crazy. The inspiration was all the pop culture at that time, [fashion] trends, music, all that stuff was the crazy. And at that point in time, Jordan’s were the craze. So I can say that one of the many inspirations is the G.O.A.T himself, Michael Jordan.

E: What is your favorite all time favorite sneaker?

D: Air Jordan XI (11) “Concords,” the shoe that changed the industry and the [sneakerhead] lifestyle as we know it today. Little did anyone know, that the Concords would be later part of pop culture history as the first shoe to integrate patent leather on a basketball shoe.

E: When and for how long have you been sneaker collecting?

D: Officially I would have to say 1996. As that was the year I graduated high school, as well as had my first official job. I was working at a then known movie theater chain. And at that time, Nike was booming with shoes – amongst them was the Air Zoom Turfs. The very first Nike shoe to integrate Air Zoom technology.

E: Why have you collected sneakers and not other things like stamps or pet rocks?

D: Well, I’ve always liked looking nice and dressing nice and sneakers are a craze which I compare to trading cards or even Pokémon. Except with shoes you have them [available] and you can pair them with a nice New Era fitted, some nice jewelry, a t-shirt, or a jacket. The possibilities are endless!

E: How many sneakers do you actually have?

D: I’ve lost count. But I will say I’ve at least owned over 350 pairs of shoes. But now I have slimmed it down to a slender 80 pairs which I’ve worn at least once.

E: Where can people best find your updates and collection?

D: Twitter (@digitalral), Instagram (_digitalral_), and Tumblr (http://digitalral.tumblr.com/)

E: Lastly, any words of wisdom for folks that want to dive into the sneakerhead culture?

D: They are shoes… they are meant to be worn. If you are out to profit, more power to you!

And there you have it friends. Once again, DigitalRal can be found on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr. Let us know any other questions you would love to ask DigitalRal in the comments below! And if YOU want to be featured, contact us via our Contact page!

I think this post is self-explanatory. I have the best fiancé ever.