Photo Credit: Courtesy of Dr. Jason Bloom
Haute Beauty expert Dr. Jason Bloom is not just your regular plastic surgeon. A lab coat or scrubs, white close-toed shoes, protective gear, and a mask, that’s not his style. In fact, when you walk into Dr. Bloom’s office, you’ll notice his and his staff's hyped-up kicks. From the Nike Grateful Dead SB Dunk Lows to the Jordan 1 Retro High J Balvin’s, the sneaker game in this Philadelphia office is one of a hypebeast sneaker stores – iconic. Curious to know what kicked off Dr. Bloom’s sneaker obsession, Haute Beauty sat down with the sneaker fanatic, here's what we learned:
Haute Beauty: Walk us through your sneaker collection. What does it look like?
Dr. Jason Bloom: My sneaker collection more seriously started in about 2014 when I began to acquire pairs that I had always loved and that I thought were unique and interesting. Currently, I have a few hundred pairs, with most of them being Air Jordan 1s, 3s & 4s. I also grew up in Michigan and went to the University of Michigan for my undergrad and medical school, so I am a huge fan of the University of Michigan sports teams. To honor that, I have an entire wall of Michigan sneakers that I have collected over the years. All of my sneakers are organized in my “sneaker closet,” which is in my home office. I should have built it larger because I am running out of space!
HB: What was the first pair of sneakers you owned? Do you still own them?
JB: The first pair that I bought as part of my “collection” was a pair of Nike Retro Dunk High sneakers in maize & blue (University of Michigan colors) that were released in 2003. I have worn them a few times to some Michigan basketball games and still own them. These sneakers were re-released in 2020, and I have another pair from that year. They are supposed to be the same, but there are small differences in the quality. Only a true sneakerhead like me could tell the differences.
HB: When you are in surgery, do you wear your kicks? And if so, which pair(s)?
JB: In the OR, I don’t wear sneakers, but I wear special OR clogs that I leave in my locker at the hospital. Someone actually customized a black pair of clogs for me with the Jordan "jump man” logo on the top, the Nike logo on the heel, and a scalpel with my name on it. It’s kind of like I am channeling MJ when I wear them.
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HB: Has wearing sneakers in the office changed the office dress culture?
JB: Yes, for sure! Before the pandemic, I used to wear a suit and tie with some dress shoes every day when I was in the office. Ever since that time, I now wear scrubs and a cool pair of sneakers to help show off some personality. Patients definitely are always checking to see what I am wearing on my feet!
HB: How have you improved your staff's sneaker game?
JB: Absolutely! I think the staff loves wearing their sneakers and having fun with them. They have all definitely upped their “sneaker game” to keep up with the cool office vibes! In fact, I have had some perspective staff members come to interview wearing some fresh sneakers to show them off a bit. I’ve also bought all my staff some sneakers of their choosing, a few times, so that they can keep up.
HB: Have you ever thought about designing a pair of sneakers for your entire staff?
JB: I have received many pairs from friends and patients for gifts and even a hand-painted pair of Air Jordans with the Bloom Facial Plastic Surgery logo. We actually have never designed a pair for everyone in the office, but I really like this idea! Now the wheels are turning! I think that would be fun to design and even more fun to gift to the office staff!
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