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Sporty spicy
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Sneakers have evolved from the humble athletes’ shoe of choice to the uber urban fashion statement
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Photo: Ap
Well heeled Sneaking up in a funky avatar
Named for the stealthy manner in which you could sneak up on someone when you wore them, sneakers were initially manufactured to facilitate athletic performance. Gone are the days when one would spot only joggers sporting sneakers. Now the ultra cool
Gen X has adopted jeans and sneaker as practically uniform.
Style quotient
With celebrities such as Justin Timberlake sporting and increasing the style of quotient of the functional sports shoe, youngsters are happily following suit. Baldev Prathap, a collegian says: “They’re simple and stylish simultaneously, which is what I like best about sneakers.” Purvi Kapoor, a yoga instructor concurs saying: “It’s all about looking cool effortlessly! Sneakers are a part of the ultimate urban gear.”
Sneakers find favour with both sexes. Shopkeepers around the city say that although men are more fascinated by the sneaker and form the bigger group of buyers, women are not lagging behind as most branded stores have given special attention to manufacturing sneakers according to their tastes.
However, women like Monishaa Haldar, a call centre employee feel that “Women have too little to choose from. Even branded sneaker collections don’t provide enough variety.
Consequently, you would find other women sporting sneakers that are similar to yours. This is one thing all women hate!”
Ladies, you have nothing to fear as fashion guru Manish Arora and his Fish Fry brand of funky sneakers are here to rescue you from duplication nightmares.
The brands
This brings us to branded sneakers. According to Arun David, a customer care executive: “It is pointless to buy sneakers that are not branded. A good pair is expensive, but are worth every rupee spent.”
While a good pair of sneakers could cost a minimum of Rs. 2,000, money doesn’t seem to be a problem for many young shoppers. Baldev is of the opinion that “boys don’t mind splurging on shoes because buying a pair of sneakers is not an everyday affair. Also, nothing comes easy especially if one wants to make an impression.”
Prapthi Karanth, a sales executive says: “Looks matter a lot to women. They are not always fussy about wearing branded stuff as long as the sneakers look good. For men, apart from the style, sneakers are popular because of the convenience factor as they quite easily match their everyday casual attire.”
Personality traits
Interestingly, a poll conducted by a media company that examines personality traits of consumers, found that people with a passion for sneakers are natural leaders. Supposedly, people who buy a minimum of three pairs of sneakers a year are 61 per cent more likely to possess the essential qualities of a modern leader. These leaders usually have great ideas and vision. Ask psychologist Rohan Srikanth whether he believes sneaker lovers make good leaders, and he comments: “Generally, sneakers can be associated with words such as versatile, flexible, facilitator and original. Incidentally, these are the some of the adjectives that best describe a modern leader!”
NEETI SARKAR
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