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Josh Luber's 5 Favorite Sneakers Right Now

Digital Art by Sofia Kraushaar for ONE37pm

Josh Luber is the cofounder of the leading streetwear, sneaker, watches, handbags and collectibles marketplace, StockX. Before growing the business to a $1 billion evaluation, Luber’s background was laden with prerequisites. The former founder of Campless, affectionately known as the Kelley Blue Book for sneakers and senior management consultant at tech giant IBM, Luber is the perfect man to change the face of sneaker retail.

Incorporating the insights most important to their customers—like live market analytics, volatility for investments, a trading price range over the last 12 months and other helpful data for consumers and sellers—StockX has become the preeminent marketplace for buying and selling all things hype.

StockX describes its process as “a live ‘Bid/Ask’ marketplace, where buyers place Bids and sellers place Asks. When a Bid and Ask meet, the transaction happens automatically.” ONE37pm had the opportunity to ask this kingpin of sneakers to spill the stories behind his top five favorite sneakers at the moment. His answers are delightful. Take a look.

1. Air Jordan 1 Lance Mountain White

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StockX

ONE37pm: Why do you like this shoe?

Josh Luber: This shoe has just enough uniqueness that sneakerheads know what it is, but at the same time, it looks like it could just be a white shoe. There’s a unique paint that covers the shoe, providing a really great cover that makes them super durable. They are ideal for traveling or walking through the city.

Have you ever owned it? 

Luber: I have seven pairs. 

Do you have a memory of wearing it? 

Luber: I think I wore this shoe every day for the first two years at StockX. 

What would you wear with this sneaker?

Luber: It’s an Air Jordan 1—you can wear it with everything.

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2. Air Jordan 5 Grape

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StockX

Why do you like this shoe? 

Luber: I didn’t own this shoe until the 2016 release, but these were the first Jordans I ever saw that blew my mind.

Do you have a memory of wearing it? 

Luber: At summer camp, when I was younger, I saw someone wearing a pair of the Air Jordan 5 Grape sneakers, and I remember thinking, “I have to own a pair of those.” 

What would you wear with this sneaker?

Luber: I rarely ever wear these because it’s a hard shoe to wear between the purple and teal. I’m not a fan of the 5s, generally, but I love looking at this shoe on my shelf.

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3. Air Max BW Persian

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StockX

Why do you like this shoe?

Luber: This is a classic shoe—you can’t get much better from an Air Max. From a color standpoint, I dig the purple. Maybe I’m just drawn to purple? The big air bubble also made it a classic.

Have you ever owned it? 

Luber: Yeah, I have seven pairs of this one as well. 

Do you have a memory of wearing it?

Luber: When it re-released in 2016 and showed up at the Nike outlet store here in Detroit, they were selling them for $39. I went to the store and bought 15 pairs. I gave away eight pairs to StockX team members and kept seven for myself. 

What would you wear with this sneaker?

Luber: Again, the whole point of this shoe is that I can wear it with everything.

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4. Air Flight Huarache OG

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StockX

Why do you like this shoe? 

Luber: This was a Fab Five shoe. In high school in the ’90s—if you played basketball—nothing was cooler than the Fab Five.

Have you ever owned it? 

Luber: Yes. 

Do you have a memory of wearing it? 

Luber: This was one of the first shoes I ever bought on eBay. I had to buy a half size smaller than I wear, so I wasn’t able to wear it that often, and I certainly couldn’t play basketball wearing it. 

What would you wear with this sneaker? 

Luber: Extra-long, baggy, Fab Five-inspired basketball shorts.

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5. Kobe 5 Prelude Pack

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StockX

Why do you like this shoe?

Luber: I appreciate that the Kobe 5 is a low top—the sort of plastic on the outside is a plus and the colors are pretty great. Because I travel so much, I like that this shoe is durable. You can wear it through anything—rain, snow and New York City. It cleans easily because of the plastic, but it’s also super vibrant and bright. 

Do you have a memory of wearing it?

Luber: Lots of memories. I took these shoes everywhere with me for a solid two years.

What would you wear with this sneaker? 

Luber: Solid colors. I wouldn’t wear this shoe with tiger stripe pants...not that I wear tiger stripe pants.

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