In a world where brands are identifiable simply by the colour of a shoe sole or a swoosh marking, counterfeit culture is rampant, almost as a means to democratize it. The inauthentic branded goods market is so large across the world, it has dedicated markets globally, including the back alleys of New York, Bangkok and even India. Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor is vocally against the entire culture of counterfeit luxury goods. A sneaker head with hundreds of pairs in his collection that collectively total to multiple lakhs in their value, the Bollywood celebrity shared his thoughts on Instagram against purchasing fake branded goods and what options one can explore instead.
(Also Read: Ranbir Kapoor's Subtle But Savvy Dash Of Colour In A Rs 1.12 Lakh Louis Vuitton Sweatshirt, White Jeans And Sneakers)
On Instagram Stories, he wrote, "Don't know who needs to hear this but please stop wearing fake sneakers. If you have a low or moderate budget, there are plenty of great options out there. Converse, Vans, basic Air Forces, etc. If someone gets you a gift and they happen to be inauthentic, you can pass them onto to someone else who doesn't know what they are and would be happy to wear them. But if you're buying your own, please do your own due diligence. Buy from trusted sellers."
Harsh Varrdhan went on to comment about the importance of styling an outfit rather than focusing on a single pricey item, saying, "Hope more men or boys look into how they dress and invest well in what they wear. No point of wearing an expensive pair of shoes if you don't know how to put the rest of it together."
His post went viral and comments on social media called out Harsh for his elitist and tone-deaf approach to fashion when aspects like budgets are relative. In response, here's what multiple social media users said.
One mentioned the prices of the shoes that Harsh Varrdhan cited as "budget options".
Please just buy basic air forces please, they only cost 8-9k, so cheap.
— The Incredible Bulk (@OldmanVimes) September 11, 2023
Then there was the user that brought out Kourtney Kardashian's iconic dialogue.
time to say the iconic dialogue “kim, there's people that are dying”
— Samridhi Tewari (@samridhitewari) September 11, 2023
Still another channeled Paris Hilton circa the early 2000s to respond to the controversy.
Big Paris energy pic.twitter.com/oVXfa8iuyK
— Pallavi | ThatDesiGirl.eth (@ThatDesiGirl) September 11, 2023
To the comments he received in response, the celebrity clarified that he was aware of the kind of furor his opinion would cause.
When I put this out I already knew people who don't know people would come after me etc but the truth is I've been doing this for along time and reps of hyped shoes are more expensive then say a pair of converse old skool vans or used air forces etc . https://t.co/ayapMiPRa3
— Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor (@HarshKapoor_) September 11, 2023
Although Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor has spoken against counterfeiting and provided budget shoe options which are still relatively expensive, a look at his massive sneaker collection and the prices of the shoes deserve a look.
Here, he showcased his Louis Vuitton x Nike Air Force 1 sneakers, which are priced at approximately $6,500 or Rs 5,30,000.
Harsh Varrdhan sported a bright green pair of Louis Vuitton sneakers from Virgil Abloh's SS22 collection. Called the Tactic trainers, they cost approximately $1,220, which is a little over Rs 1,00,000.
Over here, he is seen holding a pair of Travis Scott Jordan 1 Retro sneakers in the shade Mocha which come with a backward facing swoosh. They cost approximately Rs 1,90,000.
Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor is Sonam Kapoor's brother, who is the wife of Anand Ahuja. Anand is the founder of Veg Non Veg, which calls itself India's first multi brand sneaker boutique.
(Also Read: At Age 1, Vayu Ahuja Is Already A Sneakerhead Like His Dad With These ₹42K Kicks)
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