Untouched by the pandemic, the sneaker culture in India is on a rapid growth trajectory. From customising sneakers to reselling limited pairs at a 10X mark up, the sneaker business in the country is picking up pace
An HNI bride flew from Dubai to meet multimedia artist Param Sahib Singh in New Delhi this wedding season. She didn’t fly down to buy her bridal lehenga. She flew in to get customised wedding shoes which were an exclusive pair of suede high boots. Singh, who is known for his street fashion line and eclectic art on sneakers, had to sign an NDA [non-disclosure agreement] to keep the bride’s identity hidden and the image of the shoe away from social media. The said bride spent Rs 2 lakh on her boots.
Singh takes customisation orders that go up to a lakh, and some of these orders can take more than two months to implement. He says, “Customising your sneaker is like getting a tattoo. It's personal and it reflects your style.”