Catching up with Married to the MOB...
This Most Official Bitch loves the kicks and hates the haters.

by Lori Lobenstine

Hanging out with Leah from MOB is a lot more relaxing than you'd think. This girl gets A LOT done, no joke, but she isn't too caught up in the rat race to chill, talk about what she's learning and how much she loves her work. Always reppin' nyc, of course her favorite kicks are Uptowns...

Would you call yourself a sneaker fiend? Or “sneaker bitch” or…?

OK I would call myself a “nice things” fiend. Be it sneakers, artwork, electronics, cars, hand bags etc. I can’t limit myself to one kind of item. I fiend for it all!!

How long have you loved sneakers? What’s your first memory of rocking sneakers?

Oh my god does anyone remember L.A Gear Sunflowers?? I think Paula Abdul repped them. This was when I was in kindergarten or 1 st grade if I remember correctly. I loved those sneakers! I thought I was so hot with those kicks. They were white and had pink flowers on them with rhinestones. And the laces were made of lace! Man this is bringing me back.

How do sneakers fit into your overall style?

Well I wear them everyday. And every night unless I am going out to a club or some shit, and even then I will wear them depending on the occasion. I always have on nice kicks, my boyfriend owns Alife Rivington Club. So I get first dibs on shit coming out and what not. For winter and Fall I wear Timbs and sneakers. Mainly Jordans and Up Towns. And for the warmer months same thing minus the Timbs. I always rock a nice piece of jewelry or a dope hand bag (Goyard or classic LV) with my sneakers and a sweatshirt. I need a little something, ya know? I like to mix it up.

What do your kicks say about you?

Probably that I respect good design and color ways. And that I am from NYC. That might sound weird but hear me out… every time I wear white on white up towns I always get comments. Because NYC made that shoe what it is. Harlem made that shoe what it is actually. So guys are always like “oh shit white girl got the white on whites on! Where you from in New York girl?” So your kicks can tell people a lot about you.

How do you see the ladies in the game?

Ladies do your mother fucking thing. Get your shine and respect as the sneaker fiends and collectors you are. I know what it’s like to be in a “man’s world” and industry. I guess we all do. And it’s rough and it’s not fair 90% of the time. Fuck all these dudes; it’s time for us to take over.

Leah on MOB

How does being all-females influence your work and your commitment to the work?

Wow. It has all to do with everything I do with MOB. First off I created Married to the Mob for us females. I never was interested in creating anything for men. And I don’t want to sound sexist but I will probably never employ any men either. I don’t mean to sound like a feminist nazi but I deal with so much fucking bullshit just for being a female and for MOB being for females.

How do guys perceive you?

Dudes know what’s up. They see the way MOB is growing and they are shook. Straight up. Some guys are down for the MOB cause. And I love that. Then you get the guys that hate, trying to say alife started my company. Biggest fucking joke ever. Me and my boyfriend keep our businesses separate. I mean come on, I could name more then a few “male” brands that are completely funded and helped out by other more established companies. But they don’t get no shit for it. This industry is so sexist that it is disgusting. Just for the record, I wake up at 9 am and get to work. And I don’t go to sleep until 3am and am still on the fucking grind. What dude do you know that does shit like that?

What can we expect from your new line? What are you most excited about? Anything special for the sneaker fiends?

Well the Spring/Summer line is dropping right about now. And it is the hottest yet. Every season I think... how am I going to top that? Then I do. Thankfully. I have a bikini dropping in June that I did with Kaws. You ladies are going to love it!! And I have some projects I am working on but I learned my lesson about speaking too soon, so I will keep my big mouth shut!

What are some of your longer term goals for MOB?

I guess my long term goal is to just be true to myself always. Never fake the funk, keep it as real as possible. I feel like if I do this MOB is guaranteed to succeed.

How has it changed your work now that the Most Official Bitches have a Most Official Office?? =)

I love it! I can’t even explain. As corny as it sounds, everyone that comes by says that is has such a good energy. I have my right hand lady Lourdes working at the desk next to mine. She is the first MOB intern and future VP. I have Sweet 16 and Tab on the couch, keeping a watchful eye on them, so I can try to help them avoid making all the mistakes I made when I was their age. And of course the MOB crew is always in rotation around here. So it is really great to have a team in the office. That is what makes the office. But the hot fur rug and nice computer helps too.

What else do you want female sneaker fiends to know?

Ladies….I do this all for you. Keep doing your thing. And please if you ever want to drop a line hit me up at: leah@marriedtothemobnyc.com

And she will write you back, even though her new line is dropping momentarily, she's knee-deep in party-planning (details to come) and she'll most definitely be multi-tasking all the while...