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Sneaker culture has been steadily growing over the years, and the Middle East is no exception. Sneaker collectors in the region are making their mark on the culture, bringing their unique style and taste to the table. With festivals such as Sole DXB and Bred by Hypebeast as well as countless sneaker stores popping up around the region, it is no secret that the middle east is looking to establish itself on the international streetwear/sneaker culture scene. With that being said, we put together a list of 6 Middle East-based sneaker collectors to follow in 2023:
Swagge-95
Swagge_9_5 is an Abu Dhabi-based content creator, fashion enthusiast, and sneaker collector. He has a one-of-a-kind approach to creating content, which he uses to document his impressive sneaker collection and love for streetwear. You can check out Swagge’s page to learn about new sneaker drops, coverage of streetwear-related events, style inspiration, and just pure entertainment.
Mohamed Al-Safar
Mohammed Al-Safar is a Bahraini entrepreneur and one of the most prominent sneaker collectors in the region. His Burj Khalifa penthouse carries one of the biggest sneaker collections in the Middle East, worth around $2 million. Al-Safar’s collection includes rare Yeezys and Louis Vuitton Air Force 1s overseen by Virgil Abloh. Al-Safar was featured in many popular and viral Youtube videos including, Dubai’s famous Youtuber Mo Vlogs in the video ”$10,000,000 Mansion with 500 Shoes. At one point, he paid around $30,000 for a pair of sneakers and had to outbid a rapper to get them. They’re one of the first collaborations Jordan did with Undefeated in LA, the city where he lives when he is not in Dubai, and of course, he has another extensive collection in LA. It is also worth mentioning that he established many franchise concepts in Dubai, including EZ Burger, Control 4, Rainforest Cafe Dubai, and Tamkeen Business Center Dubai.
Rashed Belhasa (Money Kicks)
Rashed Belhasa AKA Money Kicks is someone who needs to introduction. A mega influencer who started off making content around his beloved sneaker collection has now grown into a businessman, boxer, vlogger, and a lot more. Belhasa owns what is probably one of the most extensive and well-kept sneaker collections in the world, worth several million dollars. So much so, that at one point, his sneaker room became a must-visit spot for every celebrity that visits Dubai, it was a landmark in the city. Everybody from Mariah Carrey and Ne-Yo to Tyga, Karim Benzema, and Logan Paul stopped by his sneaker room. His impressive collection includes gems such as The Red October version of the Air Yeezy 2 collection, The Platinum version of the Air Yeezy 2 collection, A pair of game-worn Adidas studs a gift from Paul Pogba with only 15 pairs in the world, The Air Jordan 8 OVO’s and Air Rorce 1 Terror Squad gifted to Belhasa by Fat Joe himself.
Atul Hedge
Atul Hedge is a Dubai-based businessman and the owner of over 500 of the rarest and most popular sneakers. In the past 5 to 6 years, Hedge developed a love for sneakers and decided to dedicate a lot of his time, effort, and resources toward sourcing rare sneakers and building a great collection. His collection includes an old Nike pair which is 20 years old but still as good as new, LV Air Force 1’s, rare Yeezys, and limited edition Nike Dunks.
Suhana Sethi
Suhana Sethi is a Dubai-based Youtuber and content creator who is sharing her obsession with sneakers with the world. It all started when she was looking for comfortable sneakers to wear to all occasions, and ended up falling in love with the sneaker culture she stumbled upon. From there, she decided to start creating content around sneakers in 2020, showcasing the style, silhouette, and story behind each sneaker. She also reviews popular sneakers, shows the best and new places, discusses the culture, and much more.
Mr.Shef Codes
Shefan Lantra AKA Mr.Shef Codes is a successful, well-recognized DJ in Dubai and is considered to be one of the region’s finest DJs. He plays in some of the biggest clubs in Dubai such as Armani Price and Movida and has shared the stage with celebrities such as Nicky Minaj and Kardinal Offishal. However, Codes has another love in his life that he constantly shares on his Instagram, sneakers. His love for sneakers developed at a young age, when he was only allowed to buy two sneakers a year, while his friends at school had all the new drops, which upset him. Fast forward to today, his successful DJ career and role as an Adidas ambassador allow him to get his hands on some of the best sneakers available today. His colorful collection includes the rare Nikex Yeezy Black Octobers and the highly sought-after Travis Scott Jordan collab.
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