We are a seminal part of India’s expanding sneaker history
Superkicks is a one-stop store for sneaker lovers who are obsessed about a good pair of kicks. It is a fashion destination door responsible for getting upcoming global trends in the sneaker community to India. The company intends to act as a catalyst to global sneaker culture and in the process create its very own unique culture. In an interview with Fibre2Fashion, Co-founder Sangeet Paryani talks about the sneaker market in India.
How has the sneaker industry evolved in terms of consumer preferences and buying habits over the past few years?
The sneaker culture is comparatively new and is growing very fast. It is bringing a different kind of confidence to our consumers, and we are noticing that people are paying more and more attention to what they are wearing, be it footwear or apparels.
The average age-group is sneaker friendly so that is also contributing towards the growth of the community. The spending power within the country has also increased, hence we are seeing a growth in sales of sneakers as well.
Can you share some insights into the trends and innovations you foresee in the sneaker industry in the coming years?
•Self-lacing technology, while initially inspired by the film ‘Back to the Future’, has become a reality with Nike’s introduction of self-lacing shoes. This technology is expected to evolve and become more sophisticated.
•The use of 3D moulds in shoe manufacturing is another advancement that is likely to gain momentum. This innovation enables a highly personalised fit and could revolutionise mass production methods.
•The incorporation of sustainable materials is already in motion, exemplified by Adidas’s Futurecraft programme, which transforms 100 per cent recycled waste into footwear. The push towards sustainability will continue to grow, with more brands likely to introduce eco-friendly practices and materials.
•Accessibility in footwear is also a significant trend, with developments like Nike’s FlyEase technology allowing shoes to be worn and removed without the use of hands, making them more accessible to a broader range of consumers.
Thus, the world of footwear innovation is never ending.
Sneaker collaborations with celebrities and athletes have become increasingly popular. What do you think drives the success of these partnerships?
The popularity and influence of the artist or athlete plays a significant role. For example, Travis Scott’s collaboration with Nike is highly successful because of his ‘Midas touch’—everything he associates with turns to gold in the sneaker community.
Another key driver is the creative vision that an artist or designer brings to the table. The transformation of an ordinary item into something extraordinary is compelling. Salehe Bembury’s partnership with Crocs illustrates this point perfectly. As a former Versace footwear designer, he reimagined the classic clog through a new mould inspired by his passion for the outdoors and hiking, revitalising the Crocs brand in the process.
In essence, the right partnership can indeed create significant impact, turning sneaker releases into cultural phenomena.
With the rise of sustainable and eco-friendly fashion, how is the sneaker industry addressing environmental concerns, such as material sourcing and production practices?
Major brands have established dedicated sub-brands and teams with a focus on sustainability. These teams are tasked with innovating ways to reduce carbon emissions while still creating distinctive products. Nike and Adidas, for instance, have introduced the Space Hippie and Parley lines, respectively. These collections utilise recycled materials such as rubber from old sneakers and waste retrieved from the oceans to craft their products. It is expected that the trend towards sustainability will proliferate across more brands within both the fashion and sneaker industries, as the global community advances towards a more sustainable and carbon-neutral future.
The resale market for sneakers has seen significant growth. What factors contribute to the demand for rare and limited-edition sneakers, and how has this affected the industry as a whole?
The burgeoning sneaker resale market is propelled by a confluence of factors:
•Social media plays a pivotal role in amplifying the sneaker industry at large. It is a platform where hype is built and spread rapidly, making it a crucial factor in the rise of sneaker culture.
•Elements such as pop culture, the hype surrounding product drops, and strategic collaborations with renowned artists and brands contribute significantly to the appreciation in value of these rare, collectible sneakers.
•Exclusive collaborations, like those between Nike and Off-White, or the early Yeezy models like the 750, produce sneakers that are seldom re-released. Owning these limited-edition items is akin to possessing a rare piece of artwork for many enthusiasts.
•The correct partnerships create buzz and demand, exemplified by highly sought-after releases like the Nike SB x Ben & Jerry’s Dunk, which was released in extremely limited quantities. The scarcity and uniqueness of such sneakers drive their value and demand sky-high.
•Collaborations with high-profile artists add to the ‘hype’ factor. Partnerships with the likes of Travis Scott, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar result in sneakers that often sell out instantly worldwide, further fuelling the resale market.
Can you tell us about the inspiration behind starting Superkicks and your journey in the world of sneakers and street culture?
The shoe retail bug runs deep within my family. My father has run a successful shoe retail empire in the heart of Rajasthan, and growing up, I have always been surrounded by boxes of performance wear shoes and all other kinds of sneakers. So, naturally, as I came of age and worked with him closely, I learned, observed, and noticed a huge gap in the Indian sneaker market as there was limited availability of global sneaker drops. Few years later, I launched Superkicks, which is dedicated to bringing limited edition, heritage styles as well as more contemporary silhouettes to India’s burgeoning streetwear and sneaker culture.
The sneaker culture in India is growing the fastest as compared to any other category even in the footwear industry simply because now people are looking at ways to express themselves and they want to find different ways to do that. Also, the influence of Instagram and the global culture is seeping in now more than ever.
Superkicks aims to bring global sneaker trends to India. How do you stay updated with the latest trends and ensure that your offerings resonate with the Indian market?
We have a specialised internal product team that looks solely after analysing and buying the right kind of products for the Indian market.
Secondly, our consumers are quite savvy and up-to-date with the latest trends on a global scale, and our team keeps this in mind while placing orders for the products that we retail.
What sets your company apart from other online sneaker retailers, and how do you stay competitive in the market?
I think it has a lot to do with two major factors, in that our curation of products appeals to both,sneakerheads and the masses alike. We keep every kind of consumer in mind while curating our product offering. The other factor is that we are lucky to have loyalists within our community and consumer base who swear by Superkicks.
Could you describe the process of curating your product offering? How do you decide which sneakers to feature on your website?
Well, the product offering/curation at superkicks has always got to be the best. We look at having a mix of multi-retail brand offerings such as the regular giants in footwear lifestyle categories – Adidas, Nike, Puma, Vans, and Converse. We also like to bring out an offering from brands which the country has never seen or experienced before.
We have recently introduced luxury denim brand from Japan called ‘FDMTL’, where denim offering starts from ₹40,000. We also recently introduced Manchester-based luxury streetwear brand ‘REPRESENT’, where we are the only ones in India who retail their product.
The curation of sneaker offering is put with a lot of thought – our in-house product team analyses pre-season trends and predicts what would be the upcoming trend for the next set of seasons, and hence look at a consumer mix of what’s trending. We also like to offer a standard range to our consumers who are not experimental, but rather like the basics when it comes to sneakers. Hence, you will always find a constant restock of classics like Air Force 1’s, Superstars, Adidas Samba, Puma Suede and Clyde. In short, at Superkicks, you will always find something for everyone.
Sustainability and ethical production are becoming increasingly important in the fashion industry. How does the brand address these concerns?
We are doing our bit to contribute to a greener Earth and get into ethical production methods as well as reducing our carbon footprint by streamlining our order shipments from one central warehouse.
We look at partnering with brands who have a sustainable approach when it comes to apparel production and partners who also believe in ethical practices.
In our commitment to sustainability, we endeavour to play our part by reducing packaging and limiting waste. A prime example of this is our initiative to replace conventional plastic bags with fabric totes. These totes are not just a greener alternative, but they also encourage reuse among our customers over the long term. This is part of a broader, long-term strategy, yet we are already taking small, definitive steps. We are embedding a ‘sustainability-first’ philosophy within our experience stores and training our staff in sustainable practices.
Furthermore, we are exploring collaborations with sustainable planning consultancies for our next-generation stores, which will embrace eco-friendliness in numerous ways.
How do you ensure the quality and authenticity of the sneakers you sell on Superkicks?
At Superkicks, we guarantee the quality and authenticity of our sneakers through the following measures:
•We are authorised retail partners with all the brands we feature, ensuring a direct supply of genuine products.
•The authenticity of our products is assured, as we operate as an official lifestyle and sneaker retail platform with direct brand partnerships.
•Our Quality Control (QC) team rigorously inspects all stock received from brands. Each product undergoes a comprehensive check before it is dispatched or displayed in our stores.
•We also offer robust customer support to address any concerns or questions. Our dedicated team is committed to maintaining high customer satisfaction and is available around the clock to assist our customers.
What strategies do you employ to build and maintain a strong community of sneaker enthusiasts and customers?
We employ a multi-faceted strategy to foster and sustain a strong community of sneaker enthusiasts and customers:
•Our origins are deeply rooted in community, with our stores traditionally being gathering places for sneaker aficionados. This has facilitated natural engagement with the public.
•We keep our community and customers actively engaged through a mix of offline and online activations. These include Superkicks’ proprietary event Intellectual Properties (IPs) that take place across our stores in four cities. Activities range from special celebrations for certain sneaker lines, exclusive launches, to music-related events that feature collaborations with artists from various genres. For instance, our Superkicks Co-sign initiative involves interviewing musicians and showcasing their latest tracks.
•Highlighting and integrating compelling individuals in our marketing campaigns is another strategy we employ. By featuring them in our photo and video content, we make them feel an intrinsic part of our community, which is pivotal as we are a community-centric brand at heart.
•Recognising the demand in tier two cities, we create pop-up experiences to reach a wider audience. For example, our successful retail pop-up at the Mercedes Benz Landmark Cars showroom in Ahmedabad resulted in a complete sell-out and prompted a surge of requests for similar events in other cities, as seen through direct messages to our social platforms.
What strategies do you employ to build and maintain a strong community of sneaker enthusiasts and customers?
We employ a multi-faceted strategy to foster and sustain a strong community of sneaker enthusiasts and customers:
•Our origins are deeply rooted in community, with our stores traditionally being gathering places for sneaker aficionados. This has facilitated natural engagement with the public.
•We keep our community and customers actively engaged through a mix of offline and online activations. These include Superkicks’ proprietary event Intellectual Properties (IPs) that take place across our stores in four cities. Activities range from special celebrations for certain sneaker lines, exclusive launches, to music-related events that feature collaborations with artists from various genres. For instance, our Superkicks Co-sign initiative involves interviewing musicians and showcasing their latest tracks.
•Highlighting and integrating compelling individuals in our marketing campaigns is another strategy we employ. By featuring them in our photo and video content, we make them feel an intrinsic part of our community, which is pivotal as we are a community-centric brand at heart.
•Recognising the demand in tier two cities, we create pop-up experiences to reach a wider audience. For example, our successful retail pop-up at the Mercedes Benz Landmark Cars showroom in Ahmedabad resulted in a complete sell-out and prompted a surge of requests for similar events in other cities, as seen through direct messages to our social platforms.
What challenges have you encountered in building and growing Superkicks, and how have you overcome them?
We have faced a multitude of challenges from our inception to the present, encompassing logistics, competition, new brand entries, and pricing strategies. These challenges are relentless, but each one presents valuable lessons, and our learning at Superkicks is continuous.
The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant obstacle, coinciding with the opening of our third store in Delhi. The pandemic placed us in a precarious position, as it did with many brands. With offline sales dwindling, we shifted our focus intensively to our social media presence, enhancing our e-commerce platform, and leveraging e-mail and WhatsApp marketing to sustain our business and maintain community engagement.
Our Delhi store provided a pivotal learning experience, particularly in the importance of location selection. Through astute navigation and swift decision-making, we secured an ideal spot for our new store. This strategic move allowed us to relaunch the Delhi store with great success in the bustling Priya market at Vasant Vihar.
Could you share some key milestones or achievements that the company has reached since its inception?
Founding Superkicks itself stands as a considerable achievement, establishing a retail space that is both community-led and inclusive. We are a seminal part of India’s expanding sneaker history and have been pioneers in this sector.
A highlight for us was the collaboration with Fila on a hyper-limited edition of the V94M sneaker, which was designed to narrate the Superkicks story – a true badge of honour for our brand. Another major accomplishment is the establishment of four stores in major cities across India, marking our presence in the country’s top urban markets. We are also excited about several initiatives that are currently underway and look forward to adding them to our list of milestones in the near future.
What is your vision for the future of Superkicks, and are there any exciting developments or projects on the horizon for your brand?
We are in the process of bringing a few more international streetwear brands to India, who work exclusively with us. On the other hand, we wish to incubate homegrown talents and grow the community further by highlighting some of our own trends. Also, we are working towards having pop-up stores in different cities in the country so that they could also feel and enjoy the Superkicks experience.
How has the digital landscape impacted the sneaker market, and what are the challenges and opportunities associated with online sales of sneakers?
Our online store has been instrumental in expanding our reach across India, enabling us to serve a broader customer base, especially in cities where we lack a physical storefront.
Globally, e-commerce platforms afford customers a glimpse into an array of products that are otherwise inaccessible in India, an issue we are aware of and striving to address.
In terms of challenges, a notable concern is the difficulty customers face in visualising how sneakers will look on their feet without prior experience of the product. While AR/VR technology offers a solution by allowing virtual try-ons, the technology has yet to fully replicate the in-store experience.
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