It wasn’t until my conversation with an employee of one of the major players within the high-end sportswear space that I truly discovered the sheer extent of sneaker and street culture in India. A deep dive into what it was, and what it could be ensued. Something I had always perceived to be an underground movement, nourished within small meet-ups and reddit threads for ‘real’ sneakerheads, was in fact the exact opposite – a burgeoning community with a surprisingly transparent open-door policy has been brewing, I just didn’t know how or where to put a right foot forward to learn more. Street and sneaker culture is undoubtedly much bigger than what it used to be even five years ago. But one can’t deny that beyond the niche circle of sneakerheads and their zealous WhatsApp groups, there isn’t much to look forward to. Outsiders still remain outsiders, regardless of how welcoming the community might be. Apart from India’s first sneaker and street culture festival and PUMA’s Suede Gully, both of which surfaced in December 2017, not enough information truckled into the mainstream for me to look forward to, which is probably why Virat Kohli’s new sneaker collaboration with PUMA came as such a pleasant surprise. A moment truly representative of a shift in the culture as a whole, perhaps even a marker of things to come.
With the Virat Kohli x PUMA’s new sneaker launch – the pioneering Basket Classic one8 –there’s a lot to consider about the vision that backs it. Available in two basic colours, that of black and white, the Basket Classic one8 is a versatile statement piece that is a reflection of the cricketer’s old-school philosophy of life. As someone who grew up fascinated by the Test cricket world’s all-white outfits, he couldn’t help but instinctively pour that into his initial design ideas. The blues and whites from his childhood days of being glued to his television screen have made it to his first sneaker design as well.
In fact, as one of India’s most widely recognised and talented cricketers, he has unabashedly made use of sport elements in his collection. Whether it’s the subtle colours, minimalist patterns, or the golden stitch details inspired by the seam of a cricket ball – the ‘gentleman’s game’ is written all over the one8s. And I love it. But what really makes this collaboration stand out is how monumental it is for the growth of India’s street culture scene – especially considering how ‘street culture’ isn’t something that was birthed on Indian soil at all.
A subculture that originated from the West yet somehow crossed oceans and permeated through the thick, often conservative borders of our country, the hype around street culture has increased considerably in the past couple of years. For young Indians today, first sneaker memories are more likely to conjure up vivid imagery of BATA canvases or Tuffs sports shoes. However, sneakernewsindia’s emergence in 2015 as a media platform that would cover the latest cops, drops, steals and more was a turning point that sliced through our BATA memories and apprised us of what was coming our way. In the years since we’ve seen dedicated sneaker shrines open up their doors, close and distantly related subcultures like hip-hop blow up, and we (at Homegrown) even threw India’s first sneaker and street culture festival earlier this year to an incredibly heartening response.
In the West, collaborations between premium sneaker brands and celebrities, like Rihanna’s FENTY x Puma or Nike Air Yeezy’s by Kanye West, have an effect similar to that of Shah Rukh Khan (or any other male Bollywood actor) endorsing a fairness cream. To put it simply, sneakers today are perceived with a certain amount of sophistication, respect and knowledge about street/sneaker culture – and collaborations like these not only make it glamorous but also provide that much-needed element of individuality. When a celebrity designs and releases a slick pair of shoes – the product is stripped of its commonness and instead endowed with a distinct identity. An insight that has existed in the West for a very long time and is only now making its way to India.
Beyond the facade of a fancy pair of white and black sneakers, this Virat Kohli x PUMA collaboration is a first-of-its-kind attempt by a sportswear company to introduce customised gear that truly puts a uniquely Indian stamp on a Western ‘trend.’ Moreover, to do so by roping in a cricketer says a lot about the future potential of the subculture. Cricketers, especially male ones, we all know have as much social capital and perceived credibility as that of a Bollywood actor. Both are almost royalty, and many of us are still trying to understand why. But keeping my snide remarks aside, one thing is for sure - for someone as well-known as Virat Kohli to collaborate with a premium sports company is an unprecedented move veering towards mainstream. What might seem as a one-off collaboration might just have the potential to pave the way for a future where both celebrities and even independent artists come forth and collaborate even more – transforming ‘sneaker culture’ into an entire mini universe of its own. A subculture that will thrive in not only low-key WhatsApp groups but also carve a space for itself in the minds of the masses.
If you enjoyed this article, we suggest you read: Homegrown Is Launching India’s First Sneaker & Street Culture Festival In 2018