Sneakers: Is it a Woman’s Game?
Words Aneesha Dewshi, Big Eyes Little Soles
For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved sneakers. My first years at primary school were spent stomping around the playground in basketball sneakers; they were big, bold, brash and for boys (or so it said on the label). Back then, a lot of the popular styles I was drawn to were in the boys department. All that was accessible for girls came in 50 shades of pink and that just didn’t cut it for me!
Back then, Carnaby Street was a regular shopping destination for many eager sneakerheads as it hosted a number of exciting footwear retailers such as PUMA , Vans and size? , which at the time had just opened its flagship store. Looking at Carnaby now, you can see the rise of footwear brands within the area, with the addition of Onitsuka Tiger , Superga , adidas Originals and OFFICE all offering and serving a diverse range of customers. All this news of expansion and inclusiveness of women within the sneaker market has led to an exciting upsurge of female-only collaborations and dual-gendered collections in unisex sizes due to the rise in demand. size? was also one of the first sneaker retailers to offer dedicated areas within its stores to women’s footwear and apparel and has since doubled the size of its flagship store in Carnaby. For any first-time buyers who would like to get into sneakers, I would advise reading and researching first. Start with a classic silhouette such as the Superga ‘2750’ or the adidas Original ‘Superstars’. For those of you who love a retro style, I would suggest the ‘Mexico 66 SD’ from Onitsuka Tiger. For the skater girl, I would stick to the Vans ‘Old Skool’ and for the progressive sneakerhead, who wants to try something a little different, give the PUMA ‘Tsugi Evoknit X Naturel’ a go.
PUMA
Throughout my teens, I experimented with a variety of brands, silhouettes, colourways and even customised my own. When I reached an age where I could wear men’s sneakers, I jumped for joy. This was the moment I had been waiting for - back then all the best releases and colourways were only available for men. When I finally moved to London, I began to meet like-minded people and fellow collectors via various sneaker events and forums. That is also where I met the founder of Big Eyes Little Soles, the UK’s first female sneaker blog. The blog started over seven years ago, creating a space for female sneakerheads in the male-dominated market.
Onitsuka Tiger
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