For over 10 years Bobbito Garcia's classic book, [Where'd You Get Those? New York City's Sneaker Culture, 1960-1987](http://www.amazon.com/Whered-Those-10th-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0972592083/ref=sr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393881954&sr=8-1&keywords=Where%27d+You+Get+Those%3F+New+York+City%27s+Sneaker+Culture%2C+1960-1987) has been the go-to bible for sneakerheads. The book is so much more than coffee-table book, it's really more of an anthropological study of NYC street culture and has even been used in the syllabi for classes at Yale, NYU and Carnegie Melon. The newly released 10 year anniversary edition has a dope new cover by artist Todd ‘REAS’ James, a new intro and afterword, and lots of juicy sneaker additions. Although Bobbito is a native New Yorker in every sense of the word, we thought we'd spice things up by asking him about his views of Los Angeles:_
STANDARD: We know your book is firmly from the perspective of NYC street culture, but as an expert in the field with friends on both coasts, how do you feel that sneaker culture in Los Angeles may have evolved differently than it did in NYC?
Bobbito Garcia: LA has it's own flavor. Basketball and hip hop were major influences in NYC in the '70s-'80s. I'm not certain because I didn't visit LA until the '90s, but I'd imagine that skate boarding, gangs, cars, ethnic culture, and community identity played a stronger role in the development there. But I'm not an expert on any city but my own; you'd have to ask someone from there, hahaha
Do you have any favorite stores in Los Angeles that you like to go to scope new sneaker trends?
My favorite shop in LA right now is called Our Favorite Shop. My boy Sung opened it. He also founded the shoe brand Clae. He reached out as soon as the 10th Anniversary edition of my book Where'd You Get Those? New York City's Sneaker Culture: 1960-1987 came out to see if he could order it for his store. Now that's cool! But I don't scope new sneaker trends, and haven't bought new sneakers in many years.
Your documentary, Doin' It In The Park, is an insider’s view into NYC b-ball scene yet is super accessible to an outsider. How did that director’s chair feel? And do you have any other future film projects simmering on the back burner?
Directing Doin' It In The Park with co-director Kevin Couliau was one of the most challenging tasks in my career. I had no prior experience making a film! But we're very proud of the result, and that we've screened it now in six continents and it's available online at www.doinitinthepark.com worldwide in 12 subtitled languages.
I'm in production for my next project, a doc on the history of me and Stretch's landmark radio show in the '90s. Expected release in 2015 to coincide with the 25th Anniversary of our first broadcast.
Full info on all my projects at www.koolboblove.com, and you can follow me @koolboblove across all social media. Thanks!
Bobbito will be at The Standard, Hollywood signing copies of [Where'd You Get Those? New York City's Sneaker Culture, 1960-1987](http://www.amazon.com/Whered-Those-10th-Anniversary-Edition/dp/0972592083/ref=sr11?ie=UTF8&qid=1393881954&sr=8-1&keywords=Where%27d+You+Get+Those%3F+New+York+City%27s+Sneaker+Culture%2C+1960-1987) this Saturday, March 8th from 4-6pm, so put on some fresh kicks and come over.
Don't forget to RSVP to HollywoodRSVP@standardhotel.com
Also, make sure you check out Bobbito's documentary, Doin' It In The Park, a study of the history, culture, and social impact of New York’s basketball scene:
