When Kevin Ma first started blogging about sneakers, it was just a creative side project to compensate his buttoned-down day job in banking. Today his streetwear site Hypebeast.com feeds stories to about five million readers monthly and counts the likes of hip hop stars Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco as fans. Few even know the founder is Hong Kong-born. 'Many people think the site is based in Los Angeles or New York,' says Ma.
The founder and editor-in-chief is softly spoken and dressed modestly. He shows up for our interview in a well-worn checked shirt, stone washed denims and canvas shoes.
His office in Wong Chuk Hang, however, is one big boy's toy shop - there are piles of boxes of sneakers and a table overflowing with product prototypes, video games and streetwear samples.
Like many internet heroes, Ma says he didn't see any of this coming when he started blogging.
'Back then I was the kind of guy who'd camp outside a store overnight to buy a pair of limited-edition sneakers,' he says. 'I read any information I could get my hands on, from magazines to online forums, to know all about sneakers. I guess I was quite a geek.'
This week, it's Ma's turn to have sneaker fans queuing up for shoes that bear his mark. Having collaborated with a string of designer brands, including Adidas, on product creations in the past, Hypebeast is now launching its latest crossover project, with British footwear brand Dr Martens.