Living Proof - Sneaker Champs (Artist Edition #003)

Living Proof is a magazine coming out of New York that features various artists and creatives through interviews, photoshoots, and more! Artist Edition #003 by Tommy Rebel covers the sneaker culture of NYC through the 1990s. Sneakers in 1990s New York City were a statement of identity and status during a time when hip-hop and graffiti were evolving from underground movements to cultural powerhouses. Sneakers became the unofficial uniform of these scenes, representing freedom, defiance, and self-expression. The sneaker culture in New York represented struggle and individuality—qualities that defined the city’s spirit from graffiti crews to hip-hop collectives.