BENGALURU: Would you spend 60,000 rupees for a pair of sneakers? Well, some do! And some a bit more. Gokul M is one such and has, over the years, collected a number of exclusive sneakers.
How did your fascination for sneakers begin?
Maybe eight years ago but I have always liked to wear and maintain shoes. In college days, I would spray deodorant on them to keep them clean.
What were some of the influences?
In my school days, I used to listen to rap songs, and there is one titled My Adidas from a Run-DMC album. This song connects shoes and respect for people. There was also a cousin who would come from the US with few fancy sneakers. Air Jordan and the Converse shoes also made me dig into the history behind these shoes.
Tell us about your collection?
I own 30 pairs of shoes including of Adidas, Nike, Puma, Vans, Reebok, New Balance, Asics, Onitsuka and Converse brands. 60 per cent of my shoes are from out of India.
Do you wear all of them?
I have never worn 60 per cent of them.
How much do you spend on an average?
Earlier, I used to spend around `4,000-6,000 a month. But now it has gone up to `12,000-14,000 a month.
Tell us about some of your exclusive sneakers.
My costliest shoe would be a Givency, priced at around `55,000. The rarest would be a Kanye West Louis Vuitton. My favourite would be the Adidas Superstar with the blue and white stripes.
Your first collectible?
It would be the classic converse, which I got from my friend in Kolkatta.
A favourite...
My top three are Adidas Superstar, Puma Clyde and Nike Air Max 90.
Any sneakers which made you say “Finally, I got it!”
Adidas NMD Tokyo! These shoes were sold out like in a few hours in all the stores and I had missed its first release. Also a pair of rare Stan Smith Silver Toes.
Any pair you want in your prized collection?
Air Jordan. It is the most sought by sneaker heads worldwide!
How is the sneaker culture in India?
Sneaker culture is probably moving to the 80’s, mainly to target people born in the 80s and 90s. They would want to buy shoes that were unavailable years ago. Adidas sometimes releases only 20 pairs of its classic shoes while NOMOS sometimes releases only 30 pairs in India. This is to create a “wantedness”. Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi are the three metros in India that offer exclusive sneakers. So you have people from the smaller cities from other states coming to these places to buy them.
Is there resale of these exclusive sneakers?
In India, we are seeing an emergence of a culture of resale of shoes. I have got a pair of Yeezy shoes which was purchased for `18,000 some years back. Today I have people who want to buy them from me for `80,000 or even `1 lakh.
Any tips on distinguishing fake shoes from the original ones
Over the years, I have learnt to discern fake shoes from the originals. It’s mostly the box that gives them away. Packaging and tags are often of cheap quality.
(Gokul M has started a blog to spread the enthusiasm of sneaker lovers. His Twitter handle is #kickswithbenefits and goksy71 is his Instagram id)