Last spring OGS (c/d La Reina 9) opened in Madrid, a restaurant where you can enjoy classic New York ‘smash burgers’ in stunning surroundings. Because the interesting thing about this place is not only its addictive hamburgers but also the more than 80 pairs of shoes displayed in it. «The idea of a restaurant with only chairs and piped music seemed too simple to us, so we decided to take the risk and take it a step further (…) , they generate a unique symbiosis » , this explains the architect Summ Alejandro Clemente, the business to which lovers of sneakers do not stop making pilgrimages. An authentic museum made up of some of the exclusive pieces this businessman collected over thirty years to build his collection of over 700 sports shoes.
It all started when I was only seven years old. “I was riding with Richie, my then-basketball coach, as a passenger on the way to a game. He was wearing Jordan IV Fire Red on his feet at the time. It was the year 1988. That image is vivid in my memory. I remember admiring the shoes as well as believing they were some sort of shoe from space», recalls Clemente, who admits that he was one of them. No one forgets that he wanted it so much then. The reason is that, although his weakness is Air Jordans for their aesthetics, what really inspires him is “the context and the story you create with them”. And that’s the reason she’s unable to choose a pair as her favourite: “I have several, especially the ones I used on the day my kids were born, for example, when I signed a restaurant contract. signed, which I use on family trips or when I played as a DJ”, admits the founder of OGS.
Alejandro Clemente, sneaker collector and owner of OGS Restaurant. Doctor
Leaving a nostalgic frame, Clemente admits he holds with special affection the other iconic sneakers he’s long wanted and finally been able to buy, and although they may seem easy to obtain, many of them are difficult to obtain. is extremely complex. “In addition to participating in every possible ‘raffle’ to acquire trendy pieces, we have traveled to other countries and visited several SneakerCons in the United States,” says Alejandro Clemente. «I rarely win the lottery, so there’s a lot of chatter behind my friends’ backs. Sometimes it is really frustrating, because what for you is going to be a piece of your collection that you will admire, cherish and even display, for the other party it is a simple benefit, Only money, many times achieved with a single click» , continues Clemente, who confirms that he has come to wait hours in line for some releases.
Perhaps due to the effort of being able to claim such a collection, Alejandro is unwilling to give it up and emphatically confirms that nothing is for sale at OGS. Of course, he is ready to help all those who want to start in the world of ‘sneakerheads’: «For a few months I have become a consultant for some clients who request it. I advise them on the purchase of certain pieces or I help them with the authentication”, he says.
Millionaire hobby of sneakerheads
It was at the turn of the last century that the ‘sneakerheads’ movement emerged in the United States after Michael Jordan, considered a world icon, launched his first model of Nike shoe called the Air Jordan in 1985. He contributed to this type of fever. The number of shoes since the rise of the hip-hop movement that environment supported the addition of new designs and therefore, a greater number of people who were willing to have them in their closets. Alejandro Clemente himself is aware of the time that marked a before and after the sneaker fever: «I participated in many movements born between the 80s and 90s, I played basketball, I was a ‘skater’, A follower of several hip hop rock/punk heavy music groups and a great lover of series like The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I’ve had the good fortune to go through all the stages of OG [versiones originales] of many movements of the 90s and onwards.
This tendency to value the origin and the story behind each piece is what Alejandro Clemente claims when he exhibits them at OGS. The person in charge of the restaurant says, “It is incredible to realize how curiosity is generated in young people and my generation revives the stories that they had stored in a trunk.” Sure shoe is what matters. «Recently a client in her 20s, when she saw one of the music videos we offered, asked us why she didn’t understand why we included it. We explained to him that legendary Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder wore the Air Jordan VI in a 1992 concert featured on MTV Unplugged. He used them in many shows and concerts until he destroyed them… A few days ago I got a private message thanking me for discovering some artists he never thought Was sure he would listen and now he’s a super fan”, celebrates. Clemente.
Air Jordans from the Alejandro Clemente OGS Collection
However, what started as an almost gloomy movement in the United States has ended for many genuine businesses that provide them with thousands of euros. Large amounts of money have been paid for some pairs and there is an entire stock market focused on exclusivity. “The ones you want can’t be found at their retail price 99% of the time and you have to go to the aftermarket, specialized platforms or apps,” argues Alejandro Clemente.
On the other hand, it doesn’t seem like these obstacles are exactly stopping true sneaker fans like him, who is very clear about what he wants his next purchase to be, though he prefers not to give clues about it. “Let me not reveal it, I don’t want to carry on,” he jokes.
With such an assortment of sneakers, you might think that choosing which ones to wear everyday is complicated, but for Alejandro Clemente it doesn’t seem so as he has completely established what he likes to wear and which ones. Only to show: «I do a weekly rotation, I use Jordan/Nike several days, New Balance 1 or 2 days a week, Adidas and ASICS, especially the AwakeNY line. To smash and cook the best possible Smash Burgers for my customers, I always wear the Jordan 1 Chicago and Jordan 1 UNC this season.”
