Collector Spotlight: This Retro Tennis Lineup Will Blow Your Socks Off
The retro tennis revival continues to captivate sneakerheads in 2024. Making its way to Centre Court thanks to big-hitting collaboration with John McEnroe and the the industry has been quick to tap into the next generation of superstars, with recently hooking up with to promote 1982’s and handing pairs of the cult favourite Courtposite to Carlos Alcaraz. Elsewhere, have been serving up new editions of the a model worn by Argentinian tennis player Guillermo Vilas in the late 1970s/early 1980s, and continue to lean heavily on the – the most recent collaboration involving psychedelic collective,
To celebrate the upcoming retro of Nike Hot Lava’, we opened up the vault of collector Andrew Ng (known on Instagram as ), whose collection of Swoosh classics will have you whipping out your very own Hawk-Eye to inspect!
So, give us the rundown. What’s your name, where are you from and what’s on foot right now?
My name is Andrew Ng. I’m originally from Honolulu HI, but I’ve been based in San Francisco since 1998. On foot I have the Nike ‘Light Smoke Grey/Black-White’ from 2023.
Tell us about the sneakers you first fell in love with.
My sneaker trifecta has and always will be:
- Nike
- Nike
- Nike
My best friend’s dad played tennis and always had kicks parked at the top of the stairs. That was the first time I laid eyes on the Air Trainer 1 and the blue/maroon Air Tech Challenge 1. Some memories never leave you, and that’s one of them for sure.
Talk us through some of your favourite tennis sneakers in your collection.
I was taught tennis as a kid around 1989/1990 by my 70-year-old grandfather at his condo’s tennis courts. Andre Agassi was my favourite (and still is), but being of Chinese heritage, we also cheered for Michael Chang. I played junior tennis in the Air Tech Challenge II ‘Hot Lava’ and ‘Cerise’ my freshman year. Obtaining those were key. Also, the Air Challenge Huarache and Air Challenge LWP were among my favourites to wear and play in. I also have some 1995 LWP’s that I still wear on occasion. For more recent releases, I love the 2013 US Open Air Tech Challenge II and the 2016 Air Tech Challenge IV ‘Cerise’. Lastly, I have a 1985 Nike Mac Attack that I wear for special occasions, and also as a tradition for every time my daughter has a dance performance.
What are some pairs from your stash that hold the most sentimental value for you?
In 2023, I was invited up to Portland for several experiences with former long-time Nike designer, Aaron Cooper, along with a few other enthusiasts and current/former Nike employees. By chance, joined the event, unannounced. I had my 1988 Air Trainer 1 ‘Safari’ (also known as ‘Black History Month’) and was fortunate to have him and John Barbour sign the pair. I also have a pair of ‘Red October’ that are sentimental in that the Twitter link popped up while I was tending to my daughter, six-months old at the time, and was lucky enough to get one at retail during the surprise drop. One other is the custom I made for my wedding and gifted to all my groomsmen.
Have you got a funny, crazy or terrifying sneaker story you could share?
In 1995, we were robbed of our ‘Concord’ by some guys in Hawaii. I was with a couple of friends and they forced their way into our car, acted shifty, and acted as if they had a concealed weapon. They took two pairs of Concords, a brand new pair of Air Up my friend had just bought, and a gold chain my other friend had on. We had heard stories of people getting robbed for their Air Jordans for years, but never thought something like this would happen to us, especially in Honolulu. Fortunately no one was hurt aside from our egos, and we’re all stronger today because of it.
How do you store and/or catalogue your collection and do you have a plan for when the soles turn to dust?
I try to keep a running tab on my archive using AirTable, however, I’ve fallen behind and not everything has been entered. As for storage, I usually keep shoes in their original boxes or plastic storage bins. I try to keep them shaped and laced as I prefer to photograph them in their intended design form. I have a few pairs in UV blocking, vented plexiglass display cases. As far as crumbling, it’s part of the game. I embrace the crack and try to keep pairs whole as long as possible. I haven’t had many pairs restored. I feel that sometimes the authenticity lies in the imperfections.
In the spirit of the Olympics, let’s hear the gold, silver and bronze of your collection!
Bronze: 1995 Air Challenge LWP (‘Black/Deep Teal’) in my size! I played varsity tennis in my senior year in the LWP and it is still one of the most comfortable shoes ever. I’ve also interacted with Wilson Smith III, who designed it, making it that much more special.
Silver: 1988 Air Trainer 1 (‘Safari’ aka ‘Elephant’ aka ‘Black History Month’) both High and Low pairs. When I showed my pair to Tinker Hatfield, he had known, but never seen or held the colorway in person. I showed the pair to John Barbour and he confirmed that they were in fact a ‘Black History Month’ colourway, even way back in 1988!
Gold: 1987 Air Trainer High 1 in size 12.5. This is the GOAT sneaker for me. I have so many memories around this model and it’s what got me interested in sneakers. I’ve shared my ‘Full Circle’ story about the Air Trainer on Instagram, and it’s probably one I will continue share many times over.
What are some grails you’re still chasing!
Probably the one that has eluded me for well over a decade is the Air Tech Challenge IV ‘Limited Edition’. I only know of two pairs, one with Angel Face (Tech Challenge Club) and my friend Ryan has one over in Canada. Crazy thing is Ryan’s friend found them by chance at a thrift a few months ago for $35.
Others to fill out the archive:
- 1991 Air Tech Challenge III Low - White/White Bright Green - Citrus - 7279
- 1991 Air Tech Challenge III Low Women’s - White/Barely Grey-Solar Red-Citrus - 7242
- 1991 Air Tech Challenge III 3/4 Women’s - White/Azalea-Creamsicle - 7238
I’m a very tennis and training-focused archivist, with the 90s Challenge Court stuff being my archive’s original focus. My archive’s general thesis is related to life experiences.
Is there anything else you’d love to share with us?
To me, sneakers are this very interesting, very existential, very universal fibre that bonds so many people in a pure and positive way. I’m fortunate to have connected with people all over the world (even places as amazing as Monaco!). A little over a year ago, I created a 100-copy 9” x 7” coffee table book called Provenance Recognized that sold out within just a few days. Sneakers empowered me to do it! I hope the idea of sneakers continues to challenge and inspire others to create and innovate as well.
I would like to encourage sneaker enthusiasts to continue to collect and wear what they like and enjoy. Don’t feel pressured to buy everything and whatever everyone else is buying. Carve your own path and create a style of your own. It’s been said that sneakers and stories go hand in hand. There’s no story better than an authentic one.