Name: Troy Loferski
Age: 33
Job: Keepin it real
Who Are You:
I've been a hip hop fan since I was 7 around 1985. I think I fell in love with the Breakin’ soundtrack my brother had on cassette tape. I remember playin that tape to no end… tryin to be a little b-boy while George Kranz and the Bar-Kays blasted from the boom box. I’m just an old dude who loves hip-hop. I grew up in a small town where hip hop wasn't the norm but still loved it none-the-less. I was a kid who grew up on the outside looking at a culture that I wanted to be a part of but couldn't. To me, hip-hop is an expression, something that makes you feel good no matter what your circumstances. When you hear someone rap over the perfect breakbeat and it gives you "goose bumps"... when you see someone lockin to the beat and your adrenaline starts to pump... or when you look at a piece of graffiti and it literally makes your head explode. Those are the good feelings and I have the utmost respect for the individuals that help create the culture and for those that push it forward. Since I was young, I was (and still am) a student of the hip-hop culture, whether its the history, music, dance, graffiti or clothing style. I don't claim to be from the streets but I have always taken pride in learning hip-hop knowledge. I've followed it, watched it change/develop and will continue to represent it in my own way no matter how subtle or how bold I choose.
What is your most prized pair of Vintage Frames and why:
My holy grail the Cazal 616 large size in all black. I was another kid who idolized Mike and everything about him. About 5 years ago I found out what frames Spike Lee was wearing in “She’s Gotta Have It” and the Nike commercials with Mike and Spike. I had to have them. They are the frame that most reminds me of my youth, playin ball, wanting to be “Like Mike”… the feeling is comforting. It would take 5 figures for me to let them go.
What is your earliest memory of a pair of frames that stuck in your head until today:
My earliest memory was back in the late 80s and early 90s when my brother was rockin his original Oakley Frogskins and Oakley Blades. Some of my friends had the frogskins in the early 90s too but I never understood the hype back then. My first pair of vintage frames was a vintage CAZAL 607 in black that I picked up in 2005. After that the sickness took over.
If you could stumble upon 1 pair of Vintage Frames, what would it be:
That’s a tough question. I have most of my favorites... the CAZAL 616, the Hammer CAZAL 858, the Vanilla Ice Jean Paul Gaultier 56-8272 in all black. Hmm, 1 frame...? Linda Farrow 6031… Corey, hook it up for a brother! That would complete my collection.
About how many Vintage Frames do you have in your collection:
35 Vintage
19 Retro Re-releases
Why do you choose Vintage Frames instead of new eyewear:
Like many others, I like to step back in the years past and hold on to my youth, the good years when things were less complicated. In the same sense, things that I couldn't afford back then, I can afford now and it’s satisfying to finally be able to own a piece of history.
