Sneakers are no longer confined to the sports arena. They are adding to the swag on the street, inspiring storytellers to even make a web series on them

Sheetal

When Taylor Swift came out with the song You Belong With Me that goes ‘She wear high heels, I wear sneakers’, we could feel her pain. Life isn’t perfect but your sneakers can be! Stilettos have always turned heads but when a girl in a pair of sneakers oozes oomph, even Badshah and Tyga cannot help but rap about it. As Netflix comes out with the first season of web series Sneakerheads, we talk to sneaker collectors in the region to know more about their obsession. Save some bucks, take note and just sneak them in!

Obsessed and guilty

Actor Balraj Singh Khehra is guilty of being obsessed with sneakers. He says, “Sneakers represent hip-hop and street style. They are an integral part of my personality. I feel they look hot on girls too.” He loves Adidas Stan Smith sneakers for their clean, classy looks which go with casual and bright clothes. “Pair them up with dark- coloured denims and a well-fitted blazer and you are good for any swanky do.”

Ask him how it all began and he says, “During Roadies X4, I saw Rannvijay Singha wearing sneakers and they looked great on him. Since then, I have developed love for sneakers. As any stylist would tell you, shoes can make or break a look. Therefore, my mantra is to keep the swag on with sneakers!”

His currently owns 11 pairs, but he is unapologetic about his addiction. “I make shoe contact before eye contact. I want to add more pairs to my collection.” Recalling an interesting story, he says, “During my trip to Bir Billing, I carried my favourite pairs of sneakers. A street dog developed a keen interest in it and took away one. I chased him but couldn’t catch him. I still have that remaining one as a reminder of the incident. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.”

Figure of expression

Panjab University student Shivanta Vashishth’s interest in sneakers started pretty early for he was a basketball player. “I have a pair from Nike which cost around Rs 16 K. At the age of 14, I became of collector of sneakers. I find them comfortable and attractive on the basketball court as well as in normal life. I have eight pairs at present and I want to buy a pair of Nike LeBron 12 next.”

The biggest reason for his love for sneakers is that it allows him to express himself. “All of us express ourselves through our fashion choices. Sneakers allow us to explore who we are,” he adds.

For a sporty look

Suvreen Dhindsa from Phagwara is an aspiring model and actress. She swears by her Fila Disruptor sneakers from her collection of 12 pairs. “My mother gifted me the first pair when I started playing games in school. As I am a fitness freak, for a sporty look at the gym nothing beats the pair of sneakers. So, whenever I am out there shopping for shoes, I end up buying sneakers most of the time.” Next on her acquiring list is a pair of Balmain BBold low-top.