Sneakers are a way of life. The meteorological rise of sneakers can be seen in all aspects – sports, fitness, lifestyle, and fashion. Capturing the pulse of the young Indian consumer and their need for speed is the third edition of FILA Motorsport Collection 2022.
We catch up with Abdon Lepcha, the Director of Creative at FILA to understand the synergies between motorsports and sneakers, plus the highlights from the new collection. The annual Motorsports Collection echoes the ideology of ‘born to ride’ and ‘free spirit’ and merges innovative technology with designs that cater to an individual’s passion for riding. Veja Sneakers With its third iteration, it’s important to understand the link between riding and sneakers.
“When you talk about the Indian market, right now it’s still quite young in accepting ideas and in differentiating products. At the same time what we were thinking is that footwear is used as a generic, all-rounder product. For example, you can use a running shoe for running as well as for walking and for your daily activities and that’s the kind of consumer profile we have in India, that’s the kind of market that we have in India. This is why we have launched the FILA Motorsport Collection as a multi-functional product,” explains Abdon.
The shoes from the collection cater to both riding needs as well as build a lifestyle around them. The result, the FILA Motorsport Collection is multi-coloured, beautiful and loud as opposed to sticking to usual blacks and greys. Designed to suit all types of riders, apart from the cool, fashionable edge its main focus remains comfort, function and durability. There are high tops for riders, low-cut sneakers for daily wear and a price range that is easy on the pocket for sneaker enthusiasts.
“We were the first ones to launch a technical riding lifestyle shoe,” shares Abdon. “There are a lot of benefits and features designed especially for riders. For example, there is a slightly anti-operated patch in the shoe that helps the rider change gears, Sam Edelman Boots and shift gears but at the same time it is an anti-abrasive patch that does not harm the shoe, it protects the shoe from daily wear-and-tear. If you look at other shoes, when you start to change gears the toe area starts to tear.” Other impressive features include an outer design that allows air to go inside the shoe, which keeps your foot cooler while riding for a longer duration. Plus, extensive ankle support is essential for long bike rides.
“Athleisure is a lifestyle now and not a trend anymore, it’s part of our daily wear, it’s not sportswear now, it’s a way of expressing yourself. In terms of athleisure, people are looking for bold colours. Under the athleisure umbrella, you’ve got multiple athleisure trends that have come in, starting off with the uni-colour sets, pastel colours are quite in. Denim athleisure is also absolutely in. When we talk about athleisure today it’s a way of expressing yourself. Oboz Hiking Shoes Loose fits are a must-have now, you need to have a couple of oversized t-shirts and hoodies, as it’s an absolute must-have in your wardrobes. Athleisure is going into a more futuristic mode than a sub-cultured one. It is about more tech and more performance-based materials to play with in terms of athleisure. I would suggest not to go into more subdued colours and everyone should have pastels in the wardrobe,” says Abdon about the ongoing trends in the space.
Key pieces from the FILA Motorsport Collection 2022:
All Images: Courtesy FILA.