We know you as an Instagram Influencer and a self-confessed sneaker enthusiast. For those that don’t know you, can you tell The Edit LDN readers who is Lily Grist?

To be honest I’m just a girl from a small village who loves collecting sneakers and clothes. Since I was about 16 I started getting into fashion and expressing myself more through fashion. And over the years it’s developed into the more streetwear aspect of fashion. I was never a girly girl growing up so the kind of tomboy, more masculine style of streetwear appealed to me. Now at 21 I’m exploring different paths that can lead me.

 

You’ve amounted an impressive 60,000+ followers. How did you build such a following?

It was crazy, when I started gaining followers I never expected or planned for it to happen! It happened around 2017 when I started getting deeper into streetwear and collecting pieces like Champion, Thrasher and Supreme that were all quite big back then and then just posting quite unique shots of my outfits! This attracted larger shall I say “inspo” accounts to repost my photos a lot which is the main reason I gained so quickly. Since then it’s been fluctuating but as my style is changing, I expect people to drop out and new people to come.

What can you tell us about being an influencer in the sneaker space?

It’s quite interesting as someone who has only just recently gotten into shall I say "hype sneakers", I don’t have too much experience. However it’s so great as I feel I can put out content all the time because if I’m not feeling up to making an effort with my appearance I can just pop some sneakers on and shoot them. However it also comes with a lot of hate, a lot of people don’t like females in the sneaker space, thinking they don’t have the right to own hype sneakers or post about them. However I believe the sneaker space is open to everyone as long as you respect and understand the heritage and origins of the sneakers you buy/post. 

 

Talking of sneakers, what are your top three sneakers that you own?

Ahh this is a tricky one! It changes all the time. At the moment I’m really loving my Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Black & Pine Green, as I love the colour way. My most recent pick up is the Jordan 1 high NC-CHI which I’m also really digging. And finally it probably has to be the classic AF1 which you can’t go wrong with. A close contender is also my Yeezy 700 V2 Static, just a very unique shoe.

*Air Jordan 1 Retro High OG Pine Green

 

What can you tell us about your own individual style? 

Honestly my style changes just like the weather here in England. However I think that’s what makes me individual. Some days I’ll love rocking a wide pant with a big hoody and some chunky sneakers, whereas others I’ll opt for a nice minimal look maybe a plain top, jeans and some Jordan’s. However most of the time at the moment you’ll just catch me in sweats. 

Who are your influences and do you have any style icons?

I’d say just anyone in the sneaker space. I follow a wide variety people on Instagram with different styles and aesthetics and sometimes these will inspire me to maybe try something new or style a sneaker in a different way. However I think I get most my inspiration from sneakers themselves. I’ll always plan my outfits around a sneaker, matching what colours will go well and picking out the colours in the sneaker to match with.

 

What is your most grailed item?

As I’m only starting out collecting sneakers, you could probably argue I maybe don’t have any grails. However it would maybe be my Yeezy Statics or my Balenciaga Triple S or potentially the Jordan 1 Court Purple, I’m excited to collect and find more grails. 

*Balenciaga Triple S

 

If you could choose your dream job within the sneaker world, what would that be and why?

The dream really would be to keep doing what I’m doing, collecting sneakers and building a collection and also a following. I’ve had an experience for modelling for Nike which was awesome, so I’d love maybe more opportunities like that to come up. 

 

Are you currently working on any projects that you can tell us about?

To be honest at the moment I’ve got nothing really happening. I’m in discussion with a shoe customiser about potentially creating a design for a sneaker that people can purchase. But right now life is pretty chilled out.

 

Looking at your feed, it looks like you’re into your Air Jordan’s. Have you seen the Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance on Netflix? What are your thoughts on Michael Jordan as a person? 

Yes I’m in the middle of watching it. I think it’s really interesting and really fun to learn more about him and what he did/went through. Also to learn more about the basketball industry in America. I think he’s a great person and an amazing player. I love how the series relives the times where a lot of people in America looking for guidance found a connection with MJ and that’s really nice to see. He was an inspiration for so many and still is.

Changing to us, if you had £1,000 to spend on The Edit Man London website, what items would you go for?

I’d definitely get my hands on some Yeezy 700 Vanta, I was so gutted I missed out on that or the classic Wave Runners. And probably also some Jordan’s, maybe the Shattered Backboards, and the UNCs. 

*Yeezy 700 Vanta

 

If you could only wear one of the Nike Off-White ‘Tens’ available on our site, which one would you go for?

Got to be the Jordan 1s. I just love the colour way and the design and they’d be the ones I’d wear and pick up the most.

 

Lastly, what can we expect to see from Lily Grist in the future?

Hopefully I’ll be doing what I’m doing but maybe on a larger scale. I felt quite lost within the industry for a while but recently I’ve found myself and understood I don’t need to wear or buy things just because they are popular and this has been big for me. So if anything in the future, the main thing I strive for is more self growth and if the success and following come alongside, that's even better!