Spice of life
To describe the average sneakerhead as someone who is an artist, plays basketball and listens to underground music would be to oversimplify the essence of sneaker culture. Though globally, sneakers have been tied to these associations and are an intrinsic part of street culture and hip hop, Anand Ahuja, co-founder of multi-brand sneaker retailer VegNonVeg, and actor Sonam Kapoor’s husband, believes the subculture’s prominence in the subcontinent has more to do with India creating its own narrative rather than complying with the standardised tag.
“The country’s sneaker culture has grown outside the confines of what has come to be known as popular street culture. Basketball and skateboarding are not indigenous to India. I think our love for sneakers comes from men becoming increasingly aware and experimental with fashion and looking for new avenues of self-expression,” begins Ahuja, who, along with co-founder Abhineet Singh, has been critical to the widespread adoption of sneaker culture in the country. Throwing their design sensibilities into the global mix, the duo’s brand VegNonVeg collaborated with sports giant FILA, and unveiled a collection of limited edition kicks inspired by an item ubiquitously Indian – the household masala dabba.
Masala magic
Shaped by the varying colours, smells and textures found in the Indian spice box, what sets this limited edition Masala BoxMindblower sneakers apart is, that they aren’t your basic entry level monochrome kicks. Rather these sneakers are loud and sport a neon colour scheme that resembles curry powder, turmeric, ground red chillies and even what looks like a smattering of pepper on the white soles. “The last thing you want to do with your design is to play it safe. It was important for us to come up with a strong concept that tied in with a story,” he explains, adding, “Unless you are sold on the story behind the sneakers and are confident in your sense of self-expression, these shoes are tough to wear. If you get it – great. If you don’t, you don’t.”
Craft focus
As Indian-born and raised entrepreneurs, who are products of their environment, the masala box wasn’t the only design inspiration that the duo dabbled with. Craft techniques including embroidery and hand block prints were under consideration, we learn. A first-of-its-kind collaboration with FILA that afforded the creation of offerings customised to localised appeal, VegNonVeg is now considering the prospect of introducing sneaker caps, “...that are perfect for the Mumbai rains. It is these little quirks that will allow India to create its own sneaker narrative. Sneakerheads are always driven by a story,” shares Ahuja, a self-confessed sneaker geek.
Brick-by-brick
Launching the 100 pair limited edition at their first store in Mumbai, Ahuja confesses that Singh and he prefer bricks over clicks.Convinced that the VegNonVeg stores have a viable proof of concept, the brand is set to open its first South Indian store at Bengaluru, latest by June, and plan on having a curated selection of music on vinyl, books, art and apparel for sale.
Priced at `9,999.
— Rebecca Vargese
rebecca@newindianexpress.com
@rebecca_vargesei