Collector Spotlight: Tommy Gawellek

Coming of age skateboarding and headbangin’ to bands like Type O Negative, Mercyful Fate, Earth Crisis, and The Sisters of Mercy led Tommy Gawellek straight into the welcoming arms of the sneaker community. Tommy grew up in an era when graffiti writers were adopting styles like the Air Max 90s as their own, and hardcore scene misfits were pitting in their Air Maxes, Jordans, and New Balances. 

After getting into the music scene in 1997, Tommy has spent the last two decades travelling and playing both bass and guitar in hardcore bands, all the while rocking his favourite adidas ZX series sneakers on stage. In this latest installment of our Collector Spotlight series, read about an affliction with technical running sneakers from the late-80s and early-90s…

What was it like being a sneakerhead that’s into hardcore music?
Growing up, there were so many bands and musicians who influenced my collecting. Most people in the hardcore scene collected Nike. But there were still plenty collecting Saucony, adidas, New Balance and ASICS.

What drew you to the adidas ZX line?⁠
The historical and football aspects of the 4-Digit ZX series, Torsion and EQT range. The shape, comfort, and colourways tied it all together. The ZX and Torsion line are deep-rooted in football culture, whether you’re a hooligan or a casual. The ZX 8000 ‘Aqua’ is a timeless classic, if you ask me, and shouldn’t be missing in any collection.