Not everyone who is into sneakers is born or raised with a natural passion. Community Collections’ latest subject is one of the up-and-coming females in the game, who unexpectedly developed a love for the art of the culture and tied it in with her yoga and workout routine. Aubry Wiltcher wasn’t blessed with the newest kicks while growing up, but it didn’t matter because she wasn’t even interested. It wasn’t until her encounter with a friend who was interested, and filming a music video in a sneaker shop, that she became intrigued. Just a short time later, her shoe stock grew to over 50 pairs that ranged in everything from Air Jordans and Nikes to Ewings and ASICS. Making sure not to become too engulfed in the materialism of the hobby, Wiltcher isn’t worried about stacking boxes to the ceiling, as she maintains her humble roots and gives a pair away every time she takes one in.
Stream your way through the following pages to hear Aubry’s unique sneaker story and see some of her favorites, including her Most Rare Pair and Most Frequent Wear. Drop a line with your feedback in the comment section at the bottom of the page, and keep Nice Kicks bookmarked for everything sneakers.
Profile:
Name: Aubry Wiltcher
City: San Diego, CA
Instagram: @aubrymarie
Size: 7Y
Started: 2012
Sneaker Story:
“I grew up really poor, and I didn’t even know it. I lived in a small town in NM. My Mom was born with Cerebral Palsy and doesn’t work, and my Dad works construction and made about 40K/year (or less) when I was growing up. My concerns weren’t with fashion or kicks, in fact I rarely wore shoes in general (this continued into my early 20s). At 18, I moved to California, where I worked and went to school. I first crossed paths with Tim Shelton in January 2012. Tim was the San Diego State basketball team captain, and he also happened to be a musician. Tim asked me to create a music video for “Aztec Motto”. He requested a heavy emphasis on kicks, the only problem was that I knew absolutely nothing about kicks. Tim and others guided me on what to film and what was considered “heat”. Despite my new found knowledge of shoes, I wasn’t sold yet. In late 2012, Tim asked me to create a music video for “Montezuma 55th”. We filmed a good portion of the video inside of a local shoe store. Stu Keller of Kolorblind Shoes is one of the most knowledgeable sneaker lovers I know. As we filmed, he told me about each shoe and gave me a little history about the sneaker game. I distinctly remember the moment my interest peaked: I asked about the “Doernbecher” Air Jordan IV. As Stu explained the Doernbecher line, I felt sad and excited all at the same time. Growing up I was uninsured (but healthy), and my Mom’s story isn’t far off from one that merits its own sneaker. For the first time, I felt like I could truly appreciate a sneaker for the art that it is without judging the materialism. Days later I purchased my first pair of kicks, and days after that I purchased my second pair. Since then, my collection has grown to over 50 pairs. My collection is all over the place, consisting of Jordans, KDs, LeBrons, Kobes, Ewings, Sky Highs, SBs, various Nikes, ASICS and more. After four months of collecting sneakers, I started to wonder if I had become too materialistic and selfish. I decided to purchase and give away a pair of sneakers as often as I could. It makes me happy to share the love of sneakers.”
