Anand Ahuja and Abhineet Singh decode India’s emerging sneaker culture

Borrowing from cultures outside of the one you grew up in is the very essence of collaboration. Good ideas are a product of original thought, but it is undeniable that inspiration, in some form, needs to come from an external entity. That India has its own identity when it comes to rap culture is fairly evident from the recent developments in the emerging hip-hop scene, but what’s also brewing in parallel is an interest in sneakers. The act of accumulating limited edition shoes, of entering in raffles to win the latest pair of kicks, and occasionally even resorting to the darknet for a sought-after pair has caught on as a subculture. Anand Ahuja and Abhineet Singh are amongst the first two sneaker enthusiasts in the country who have put structure to the obsession by setting up VegNonVeg, India’s only curated, multi-brand sneaker store. It has two spaces—in New Delhi and Mumbai—and largely sells online. Vogue got in conversation with Ahuja and Singh on what it means to be a sneakerhead, the genesis of the scene, and what lies ahead.

How did you develop an interest in the sneaker subculture, and when did you start collecting?

Anand Ahuja: My mom tells me that even at two years old, I used throw a fit about what I wanted to wear. Growing up, I played basketball, and every summer when I would go to the States, my highlight would be picking which basketball shoe I was going to buy. As we grow, we can’t keep shoes so there was no collecting them either, but the enthusiasm was real. College was when I began consciously collecting, not as a hobby but just as a way of appreciating shoes. Only when I started Bhaane did I properly start accumulating. I stopped shopping for clothes because I would only wear Bhaane and spend all my money on shoes.

Abhineet Singh: I’ve loved sneakers from as far as I can remember. My cousins would come down from abroad when I was a kid, and they were really into hip-hop and the entire culture surrounding it. I guess that is where I was first introduced to sneakers. Back in the early ’90s I got one pair every two years or so; it was usually when someone came from overseas and more often than not, the shoes they got for me were two sizes too big. I guess the thinking was that I would grow into them at some point. I remember wearing a lot of my shoes with three pairs of thick tube socks.

How would you describe the sneaker culture in India?

AA: Young, energetic, curious.

AS: Emerging, still finding its voice. It’s vibrant; suddenly it’s all there—street art, hip-hop, skate culture, B-boys, etc. I think we’re still experimenting a lot.

How do you think the sneaker scene can grow?

AA: Women have always loved shoes, and now there is a new option for footwear that is more comfortable and equally stylish as the flats and heels they’ve been buying! This will continue to grow. Men are becoming increasingly aware of fashion and want more avenues for self-expression—clothes is one, and shoes are another.

AS: I think it will grow and evolve further as more people find their own voice and identity within this space. It’s so young that we’re consuming what comes our way. But slowly we’re starting to see creators in this space. Imagine that most of this did not exist three years ago.

What are the dos and don’ts of being a true blue sneakerhead?

AA: It’s not about discrimination. There are different types: ones that collect and keep the boxes and clean their shoes versus others that buy and wear their shoes as much as they can (such as myself). There are ones that like the hyped items while others that just buy what they like, hyped or not (again me)—many different types, but all count.

AS: This is a tough one because I don’t think there are any don’ts really. To each their own.

Other than yourselves, who has an impressive collection of sneakers in India?

AA: A lot of people have it now and you wouldn’t even know!

AS: Many people have great collections in India. I wouldn’t take names for fear of missing out on somebody, but some of our customers have a lot of heat. In fact, we recently did an exhibition on rare sneakers at our Mumbai store that was solely borrowed from friends of VegNonVeg

VegNonVeg is one of the rare stores that fills a gap in the market for concept brick-and mortar-establishments. How would you describe the inventory at the stores?

AA: Curated—that’s what we go for. We want to show people the best of all the assortments from all the brands under one roof, so it’s our personal touch and take on sneakers. Abhineet and I have different tastes and that’s what’s nice, we can share both sides of the spectrum of sneakers. Hence the name VegNonVeg—both sides.

AS: It’s a super curated collection of classic sneakers and anything that pushes tech boundaries. The shoes we stock are usually concept-driven. For us, it’s important that every shoe tells a story. For instance, we regularly stock Jordans that have a huge connect with basketball and hip-hop. We have the adidas Parley series, made from plastic that’s fished out of the oceans; we have sneakers that support free will and the LGBTQ+ community; we also have some trending fashion stories like reflective, cut and sew, dad shoes, over branded, neon etc.

How are you trying to evolve VegNonVeg? Do you have plans for expansion?

AA: Evolution is our first priority. We are trying to get the best assortment globally. Not all brands give us access to all the product just yet. India has tricky import laws, so this is the biggest point for VNV to address with our partners to really grow and evolve.

AS: We are constantly working on being relevant, are focused on the culture and have a lot of exciting things coming up—including a capsule we designed with Budweiser and a shoe collaboration with FILA. We’re also opening a new store in New Delhi in March and another one in Bangalore in April. And we’re working on establishing a VegNonVeg clothing line too.

Where do you seek inspiration from?

AA: Inspiration comes from everywhere—youth, heritage, other brands, artists. Inspiration is all around us.

AS: We’re always seeking answers to what it means to be a sneaker and streetwear brand in the Indian context. We seek inspiration from sports, music, art, fashion. Often, we find ourselves looking at the past for clues to the future.

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