In a culture almost always dominated by hype, resale prices and the next big release, KLEKT and Sean Wotherspoon are taking sneaker conversations in a different direction. Their new weekly series, Sole Stories, is built around one simple idea: every sole has a soul.
Hosted by the renowned designer, collector and vintage expert, the series strips things back to the essentials. Each episode sees Wotherspoon sit down with influential figures from across sneakers, sport, fashion and entertainment to discuss the one sneaker that means the most to them. Sole Stories doesn’t focus on the rarest or most expensive pair, but the series explores the memorable moments and memories attached to the shows that helped shape their lives.
Season one was filmed in Los Angeles and features an impressive lineup including Ben Baller, Jon Wexler, Nick Turturro, Mike Cheenan and Nemoe Lopez, with new episodes launching weekly across KLEKT and Sean Wotherspoon’s social channels.
Ben Baller Sets the Tone
The opening episode stars jewellery designer and sneaker collector Ben Baller, immediately establishing the direction of the series. The episode explores the emotional significance of the Nike SB Kobe x Erix Koston, a hybrid mix between a Koston silhouette and the Kobe 6. This specific sneaker is limited to just 24 pairs in total. The sneakers have accompanied Ben throughout different stages of his career, like when he wore them courtside to a Lakers game, sitting a couple of seats away from Kobe Bryant himself, this reinforces the idea that every great pair carries a atory beyond the box.
In Sole Stories the guests answers multiple questions related to the pair, and it is a very relaxed, conversational format, which makes the series feel more like two sneaker enthusiasts catching up, and that’s exactly what Wotherspoon intended.
There are already so many sneaker podcasts and shows, but as Wotherspoon explains: “What I think was missing was something with soul, character, personality. It’s like everyone is hanging out on the same beach right now and forgot that beyond the cliffs is a better beach, so I just wanted to quickly show everyone what else is possible.”
Sole Stories deliberately embraces a more personal aesthetic. The artwork was hand-drawn by Wotherspoon’s longtime friend Dokkoi, parts of the visuals were filmed on a VX camera in Tokyo, while the soundtrack was composed specifically for the series.
“I like how Sole Stories feels homemade”, he says. “Not over produced, no script, real stories, mix of guests from all corners of being a sneakerhead.”
Every Sole Has a Soul
The simplicity of the concept was equally intentional. One guest. One sneaker. One story.
You should understand the series by the time you’re done saying “Sole Stories”, Wotherspoon explains. “I didn’t want you to overthink, or to misunderstand, or have to solve some riddle. It’s accessible, easy to watch, it’s palatable, I want you to remember the story, remember the guest, not have to struggle to remember the first 15 secs after you’re at the end of the episode”
That same philosophy inspired the tagline “Every Sole Has a Soul” which Wotherpoon interprets quite literally.
“We are the soul to our sole, and our sole is the sole to our soul,” he laughs. “We are experiencing the same moments together each day, our shoes are just as alive as we are.”
For someone who has designed some of the most sought-after collaborations in recent history, Wotherspoon is surprisingly dismissive of hype culture. Asked which sneakers tell his own story better than any others, he doesn’t point to one of his collaborations, but instead to two timeless classics.
“Nike dunks and Adidas sambas are Sean.”
Likewise, when discussing recent purchases, his focus remains firmly on what he genuinely enjoys wearing rather than what the market dictates.
“I’ve only ever bought shoes I love,” he says, citing the Paul Smith x Barbour boots, Uchi x Salomon RX Slides and the Soul Goods x Nike Homescape Woven among his latest favourites.
Built Around the Community
While Sole Stories features some of the culture’s biggest names, Wotherspoon insists the series would mean very little without the community itself. Every episode encourages viewers to submit their own Sole Stories, sharing the sneaker that has the greatest impact on their own lives.
“Unless the community is involved, then you’re not really doing much for the community,” he explains. “I also wanted to encourage people to dig past the hype, and start to think of special stories behind their most worn pairs. You might find a whole new love for a pair you forgot about.”
That community focus is something he hopes to expand well beyond the online series. Although details remain under wraps, Wotherpoon reveals he and KLEKT already have countless ideas for bringing Sole Stories into the real world.
We already have endless plans. Every call we have like 35 ideas we need to put in our back pocket,” he laughs. “After the series launches, my goal is to launch a series of in-person activations , allowing the community to immerse in world of KLEKT, and Sole Stories.“
Looking to Japan
Although the first season was filmed in Los Angeles, KLEKT and Wotherpoon have already confirmed that the next chapter is heading to Japan, a country they believe played a major role in shaping modern sneaker and streetwear culture.
“I’m really hyped to film Season Two in Japan, I think we will uncover some wild stories from that late 90’s and early 00’s era when Japan was absolutely running the game. There’s so many OG’s here who paved the way for fashion and streetwear as we know it, you better believe we are going to tell some stories!”
More Than Sneakers
At the end of the day, Sole Stories isn’t about collecting or hunting down the rarest or most hyped shoes in the world. It is about reconnecting people with the pairs they already own in their collection.
Wotherspoon hopes the series will encourage to view sneakers differently, while also supporting a healthier, more sustainable second-hand market.
“My goal would be to continue helping grow the secondhand market. Not for resell profitability but for accessibility and sustainability. Through the storytelling in Sole Stories, I truly hope people fall back in love with their worn pairs. Or tell that story to the next owner so it can live on. Just trying to get the sneaker world back to a healthy place.”
Before finishing our conversation, Wotherspoon also wanted to make one point clear. While Sole Stories is his vision, he believes it would have never have happened without KLEKT backing the project from the very beginning.
“I really feel like it’s necessary to give a MAJOR SHOUT to KLEKT at the end of the interview. To have a company who’s willing to believe in the vision and invest in shifting a community to a positive place, it’s super important.”
The first episode with Ben Baller is now live on KLEKT’s and Wotherspoon’s official channels, and new episodes are releasing weekly.
