A veteran in the skateboard world, Erik Ellington was a member of the first Team Supra in 2005. He has released six signature Supra shoes—the Diablo, the Diablo 1.5, the Vega, the Avenger and the Double E. His sixth pair, The Ellington, is set to hit the Philippine shores in a few weeks.

“This shoe is functional, it protects your feet, and it looks good. “I tried to incorporate all those things and I think we came out with a really good shoe,” he said.

Erik received a lot of love from Filipino fans during the Supra Asian Tour’s Manila stop. He was busy signing autographs and partying with the other members of Team Supra and their fans at Urban Athletics but we pulled him away for a minute to talk about their visit, his passion for skateboarding and his new Supra kicks.

How does it feel to be here in the Philippines?

It’s amazing. I love it here. It’s my first time.

Did you expect the crowd to be this big?

No, this is insane. It was a surprise. But I knew there were a lot of skaters here.

Any tips for skateboarders in Manila?

Just be humble and keep doing what you’re doing.

What do you love about skateboarding?

That you can go out and do whatever you want whenever you want.

What’s your favorite trick?

360 kickflip.

Can you tell us about your new shoes—The Ellington. What makes it special?

That I designed it? (laughs) I usually have a lot of input on whatever I do. I designed the whole thing. I think it’s the best thing for me.

How did skateboarding change your life?

It gave me everything I have.