Born in 1995 Sally Javadi is the girl who is revolutionizing the social media world of women’s sneakers. Does this name remind you of anything? Maybe @sallysneakers will refresh your memory! Her huge collection of sneakers, together with her Instagram shots have made all street-stylers fall in love, thanks to a precise stylistic code made of: white carpet, anklet, socks strictly combined with the coolest sneakers on the market and a last but fundamental detail…you will never see her face! Always in step with the times, or rather with the drops of the most sought-after sneakers brands (with Nike in particular, she lives a great love story), Sally has quickly become the most followed sneakerhead. But who is hiding behind Sally Sneakers? Born in Denmark but of Persian origins, Sally is a girl who has been overwhelmed by fashion, the plans for her career until recently were very different but suddenly, her greatest passion took over… let’s find it out with her!
TBS: How did you start being passionate about the street-style world and sneakers in particular?
SALLY: I played basketball from the age 7-15 so I guess I was very drawn to the street-style and sneaker world very early. In high school, I had a couple of different pairs and I remember how it meant the world shopping my very first pair of clean low top Air Forces with my mom. Then there was a couple of different phases until I reached where I am. I’ve been a fan of the Nike Huarache that had a comeback back in 2013-2014. Then I had a phase with Puma x Rihanna Creepers. I literally had them in every colourway that came out. After that, I started collecting Yeezys and in 2017, after the Air Max 97 had its comeback I started being more and more into Nike sneakers. The Nike Air Force 1 “Rocafella” and Nike Air Max 97/1 Sean Wotherspoon was two of my first limited Nike releases.
TBS: When did you realize this passion could become your job opening your @sallyssneakers IG-account?
SALLY: So actually, when I started my page January 2019 I never really considered it as a start of something this big. I was at my last year of university doing my Master’s Thesis in Psychology. I’ve always been a bookworm if you can call it that. Not that I haven’t been into fashion and sneakers – I just didn’t have time to pursue it as much as I do now that I have finished my degree. I didn’t know I would be drawn into the creative world to this extent. You can say It’s like getting to know a part of me I didn’t really know existed. My part-time jobs besides studying were always in fashion though. I’ve worked in two very well-known Scandinavian clothing stores: Vero Moda (Bestseller) and Gina Tricot.
TBS: Do you remember which was the first sneaker you bought? (VIDEO)
SALLY: Two of my first pairs: Huarache and Nike Air Force 1s. I’ve decided to keep them as a memory. I’ve sold most of the other older pairs though to be able to afford new ones.
TBS: What’s your favourite sneaker brand?
SALLY: I guess it’s pretty obvious for most people that scroll down my Instagram page. I’m a Nike girl and it’s no secret that one of my biggest goals is to be able to do a collaboration with Nike. It’s just something about them. They’re not afraid of colour, diversity and mixing up different models to create a hybrid. They’re innovative in a way I haven’t seen before which is inspiring. Also, I love the fact that different sneakers tell a story. Nike rarely disappoints me.
TBS: Do you wear only street-style pieces, or sometimes do you like to mix and match?
SALLY: I think I’m a mix of street-style and couture. I love to mix and match. I wear skirts and dresses when it’s summer, but I can never pass down a pair of mom jeans and an oversized hoodie. I love High-End but I tend to mix it up to make it affordable. If I like something, I buy it, regardless of the brand and price. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to be stylish and up to date in my opinion.
TBS: What do you think is your IG accounts key to success?
SALLY: That’s a very difficult question. As I mentioned earlier, I never expected my IG page to be more than a hobby. I guess one of the things that drove me to start my Instagram was the lack of focus on women on the sneaker scene. I felt like the sneaker and streetwear community was and still is very male-dominated. Therefore, I wanted to be the voice of modern women. A woman who can wear sneakers in whatever way she wants, regardless if it includes more feminine styling with skirts and dresses, suits or a more comfortable styling with hoodies and joggers or a simple pair of mom jeans. Of course, I know not showing myself creates a bit of a mystery which honestly wasn’t what I tried to do, to begin with. When I started my page there were two key reasons to not showing my face: first of all, I was writing my Thesis and had a completely different image of what my future would look like. I’ve always wanted to work with children and youth and didn’t want to compromise my authority by being a public figure. Second, I wanted it to be about sneakers and styling, and not about me. My looks and appearance aren’t the main focus. It has nothing to do with insecurity, I’m just still deciding what my path will look like. Although I am aware a face reveal will probably be inevitable at some point.