Introduction
Streetwear is no longer a subcultural footnote in India; it has become the definitive luxury uniform of the modern cultural elite. From Bollywood sets and global music arenas to OTT screens and tech-unicorn boardrooms, sneakers have shifted from casual athletic wear to high-value assets and wearable art. Today’s top public icons do not just wear shoes; they preserve archives, track design histories, and dictate domestic retail trends with every step.
India’s fashion landscape is undergoing a remarkable transformation, driven by a new generation of actors, musicians, digital creators, entrepreneurs, and subcultural tastemakers reshaping how millions approach street style. From hyper-exclusive luxury collaborations and sports nostalgia to avant-garde design statements and elevated urban minimalism, these style icons are not just building collections; they are driving a massive cultural movement. The Sole & Style Awards: India’s Celebrity Trendsetters celebrate those leading this movement, using personal style, authenticity, and digital influence to inspire sharper, bolder, and more conscious fashion communities across the country.
Kartik Aaryan : Embodying the raw energy of youth-centric Indian cinema, Kartik Aaryan’s personal style champions dynamic, expressive street aesthetics. His closet is continuously updated with the latest lifestyle collaborations, bright pop-colour palettes, and popular classic silhouettes. By wearing these accessible yet premium styles at major promotions, he has established himself as a major digital style icon for India’s Gen-Z demographic.
Ranveer Singh : Standing as India’s ultimate champion of maximalist fashion, Ranveer Singh treats his globally tracked sneaker collection as a laboratory for explosive artistic expression. His archive features hundreds of avant-garde designer crossovers, custom neon platforms, and hyper-exclusive international grails that challenge conventional design norms. His fearless approach to footwear styling has redefined Indian fashion, making him an irreplaceable global force in sneaker culture.
Varun Dhawan : Serving for years as a national brand ambassador for major global athletic lines, Varun Dhawan possesses an expansive archive of premium sportswear. His rotation features high-tech workout silhouettes, limited-edition lifestyle crossover models, and heritage street classics. His styling bridges high-intensity fitness and contemporary street fashion, making him a major style icon for fitness-conscious youth across the country.
Ranbir Kapoor : Widely recognised as one of Bollywood’s most elite and elusive high-heat sneaker collectors, Ranbir Kapoor possesses a legendary personal archive filled with absolute grails. From the iconic Nike x Travis Scott collaborations to ultra-rare Yeezy colourways and structural high-fashion drops, his choices are closely tracked by street culture platforms across the country. His signature style, effortlessly pairing multi-lakh-rupee grails with casual street luxury, has set the standard for high-end sneaker collecting in India.
Shahid Kapoor : Bringing a highly sophisticated and discerning eye to contemporary street fashion, Shahid Kapoor has built a world-class personal archive that centres around complex, structural designs. His multi-layered rotation highlights a strong preference for avant-garde, chunky luxury variants from elite designers like Rick Owens and Balmain, perfectly balanced alongside technical street hybrids. His sharp, effortless ability to pair clean, structural footwear with high-concept urban apparel solidifies his status as a major style icon for modern menswear enthusiasts across the country.
Tiger Shroff : Demanding kinetic utility from every piece in his wardrobe, Tiger Shroff’s footwear collection is influenced by his martial arts and stunt background. His rotation favours lightweight, high-performance trainers, flexible mesh builds, and durable lifestyle-crossover pairs optimised for explosive movement. His action-ready styling philosophy shows a massive fanbase that premium sneakers can maintain athletic performance while dominating urban street style.
Kiara Advani : Consistently commanding high-fashion media attention during her public travels, Kiara Advani has mastered luxury off-duty dressing. Her rotation balances red-carpet glamour with emphasis on sneakers from elite European fashion houses, including structured pairs from Prada and Balenciaga. Her ability to pair high-end, architectural kicks with casual basics makes her an influential pioneer for premium airport street style across the country.
Sonam Kapoor : Recognised as the pioneer who introduced true high-fashion curation to modern Indian cinema, Sonam Kapoor treats sneakers with a sophisticated, runway-ready perspective. Her archive highlights a blend of limited-edition global artist collaborations, rare archival retros, and premium luxury silhouettes. Her ability to pair high-heat sneakers with avant-garde couture has reshaped Indian street-style photography.
Sidharth Malhotra : Epitomising the clean, refined essence of classic athletic menswear, Sidharth Malhotra’s footwear curation stays rooted in timeless, high-utility versatility. His rotation avoids internet micro-trends, focusing on heritage court classics, sleek minimalist profiles, and clean monochromatic leathers. His sharp, effortless styling provides a case study on how premium sneakers can retain a polished, mature edge.
Allu Arjun : The Pushpa megastar bridges regional cinematic dominance with global streetwear trends through a distinct avant-garde footwear portfolio. Favouring customised black-on-black colourways and limited luxury street drops, Allu Arjun uses shoes as structural punctuation in his public appearances. His styling proves streetwear can be elevated to match massive, cross-demographic stardom.
Diljit Dosanjh : Blazing a trail across global music stages, Diljit Dosanjh has woven high-end luxury streetwear into his international brand identity. His sneaker rotation features a mix of rare Balenciaga tech-runners, high-heat Nike collaborations, and oversized luxury footwear shapes. Diljit’s ability to pair high-fashion silhouettes with traditional attire has redefined the boundaries of international street style, making him a global icon of footwear culture.
Vijay Deverakonda : The pioneer of the wildly popular, ultra-relaxed “Rowdy” street aesthetic, Vijay Deverakonda has rewritten traditional celebrity style protocols across India. His casual footwear choices often swap high-maintenance luxury pairs for comfortable canvas low-tops, bold lifestyle sliders, and relaxed, deconstructed shapes. His authentic, IDGAF styling philosophy shows true modern street-style dominance comes from raw, unbothered confidence rather than high-priced tags.
CarryMinati (Ajey Nagar) : As one of the most visible icons of India’s digital streaming boom, CarryMinati has built a personal rotation tailored for live panels and public platforms. His footwear selection gravitates toward foundational Air Jordan models, styled casually with classic oversized hoodies and relaxed denim. His approach showcases the crossover between gaming culture, digital media dominance, and foundational streetwear elements.
Bhuvan Bam : Tracking a trajectory from grassroots digital content creator to major OTT protagonist, Bhuvan Bam’s sneaker matrix is defined by accessibility and timelessness. Rather than hunting temporary internet hype, his rotation relies on classic Nike Dunks and versatile New Balance silhouettes. His styling resonates with millions because it remains grounded, authentic, and easily replicable for everyday college and urban dressing.
Badshah : Standing at the pinnacle of global Indian music culture, Badshah is one of the nation’s ultimate sneaker collectors, boasting a multi-million rupee footwear archive. His rotation features some of the rarest grails, including early-era Nike Yeezys, hyper-exclusive Off-White drops, and custom luxury platforms. For Badshah, sneakers are not simple lifestyle accessories; they are an essential, explosive extension of his globally recognised artistic identity.
Ayushmann Khurrana : Renowned for challenging creative boundaries on and off screen, Ayushmann Khurrana treats his footwear choices as wearable modern art. His eclectic sneaker closet is filled with customised, hand-painted silhouettes, glowing outsoles, and eccentric, futuristic tech shapes. By rejecting conventional styling norms, his rotation injects a refreshing sense of theatrical storytelling into Indian streetwear.
Dulquer Salmaan : Combining a deep passion for fine mechanical design with lifestyle fashion, Dulquer Salmaan possesses one of the most sophisticated, tastefully curated sneaker archives in cinema. His rotation highlights a deep appreciation for premium vintage leather palettes, archival court classics, and rare retro models. Dulquer’s styling philosophy proves that a well-chosen sneaker can effortlessly bridge the gap between street subculture and timeless, high-end luxury elegance.
Arjun Kapoor : Operating with an eye for the bold and structural, Arjun Kapoor’s personal rotation heavily favours highly exclusive, heavy-set luxury street sneakers. From limited-edition designer collaborations to chunky architectural silhouettes, his choices are engineered to make an unmissable, maximalist fashion statement. He routinely demonstrates how high-end footwear can safely double as the core artistic anchor of a contemporary streetwear outfit.
Abhishek Bachchan : Ditching standard red-carpet protocol for authentic street cred, Abhishek Bachchan has quietly established himself as one of Bollywood’s most discerning, low-key sneaker connoisseurs. Far from a casual consumer, he has a legendary archive packed with ultra-rare Air Jordans, Virgil Abloh’s Off-White collaborations, and custom player-exclusive editions. Whether pulling up to high-profile events in structural grails or showcasing unexpected colourways, his aesthetic choices prioritise historical subcultural weight over fleeting internet hype.
Siddharth Nigam : Seamlessly translating his professional athletic and acrobatic background directly into his personal fashion choices, Siddharth Nigam demands high-performance utility from his footwear. His daily rotation focuses heavily on high-durability, premium skate models and impact-resistant retro basketball-court classics built to withstand wear and tear. His dynamic street style resonates strongly with a massive, high-energy digital youth audience that deeply values functional athletic utility just as much as lifestyle hype.
Parmish Verma : Defining the peak of lavish, high-rolling Punjabi streetwear pop culture, Parmish Verma uses his footwear rotation to broadcast an unmissable statement of global luxury. His high-heat archive features some of the most expensive and exclusive streetwear drops in the world, ranging from limited hype collabs to heavy-sole designer platforms. For Verma, high-end sneakers are a crucial, luxurious extension of his larger-than-life artistic brand, inspiring millions of fans across the globe.
Jassie Gill : Deeply embedded within the hyper-vibrant world of contemporary Punjabi pop culture, Jassie Gill treats his footwear as an essential, high-stakes extension of his musical identity. His collection moves beyond basic streetwear staples, heavily incorporating rare luxury drops and high-top sneakers that boast massive visual presence on screen. By seamlessly blending experimental global fashion trends with traditional style sensibilities, he serves as a leading catalyst for modern Punjabi entertainment.
Harsh Beniwal : Known for his high-velocity digital sketches and energetic performance style, Harsh Beniwal infuses the same loud personality into his personal sneaker choices. His footwear matrix is dominated by eye-catching pop-colour variants, chunky high-tops, and bold modern lifestyle silhouettes that stand out on screen. He serves as an influential figure in mainstream youth culture, highlighting how footwear can add dynamic visual energy to short-form content.
Karan Johar : Undisputed king of massive, high-end maximalist luxury sneakers, Karan Johar treats footwear as the ultimate statement piece of contemporary high fashion. His legendary, boundary-pushing rotation features eye-watering statement pairs from premier global fashion houses like Balenciaga, Gucci, and Maison Margiela. By effortlessly introducing these oversized, ultra-premium silhouettes onto mainstream television sets and global red carpets, he has fundamentally expanded the vocabulary of luxury streetwear within the Indian entertainment industry.
Karan Kundrra : A certified powerhouse in the Indian television and OTT landscape, Karan Kundrra uses a bold, maximalist approach to footwear to consistently cement his distinct alpha-style footprint. His highly visible rotation leans heavily into high-octane luxury streetwear, spotlighting chunky architectural soles and aggressive pop-colour accents. His curated, high-energy outfits demonstrate to millions of viewers how premium sneakers can easily dictate the entire mood of a contemporary public appearance.
Nushrratt Bharuccha : While maintaining a highly versatile and classic glamour footprint for her formal public appearances, Nushrratt Bharuccha has a private sneaker collection that rivals that of the country’s top male collectors. Her personal archive is packed with high-end designer platforms, clean retro imports, and hidden streetwear gems. By periodically unveiling her extensive shoe vaults to her digital audience, she shatters traditional casting stereotypes and stands as an essential voice for female sneakerheads in India.
Aly Goni : A dominant force in television and digital entertainment, Aly Goni translates his charismatic on-screen energy into a highly visual, trend-forward personal footwear archive. His expansive rotation leans heavily into the chunky streetwear movement, spotlighting rare Yeezy variants and aggressive, heavy-sole technical runners. By consistently mapping out modern daily outfits for millions of followers, he serves as a key bridge, bringing high-heat sneaker concepts into the TV mainstream.
Zaid Darbar : Fluidly blending high-speed dance choreography metrics with contemporary urban fashion, Zaid Darbar curates a visually striking, movement-optimised footwear portfolio. His digital lookbooks lean heavily into highly flexible, structural high-tops and sleek lifestyle sneakers engineered to pop on video feeds. By consistently showcasing how dynamic physical movement interacts with modern streetwear silhouettes, he has built an essential digital style destination for millions of rising creators across the domestic web ecosystem.
Athiya Shetty : Celebrated across the fashion landscape for her impeccable style intuition, Athiya Shetty has mastered the popular Gen-Z aesthetic of clean, oversized luxury minimalism. Her personal sneaker curation leans heavily into structural retro runners and highly versatile, neutral-toned New Balance pairs that effortlessly ground her daily lookbooks. She stands as one of the most prominent female voices demonstrating how to balance high-fashion tailoring with casual sneaker comfort.
Rannvijay Singha : Long before the modern streetwear boom swept across the Indian retail market, Rannvijay Singha was already actively showcasing and building an authentic sneaker collection on national television. His massive personal vault houses hundreds of rare historical models, custom player-exclusive silhouettes, and iconic basketball high-tops. As a true pioneer who helped lay down the foundational bricks of domestic sneaker appreciation, his endorsement carries deep historical weight within the community.
Raftaar : As a foundational pillar of the Indian hip-hop revolution, Raftaar’s sneaker rotation serves as a direct visual extension of the raw street culture he has championed for years. His extensive personal vault features aggressive, high-tech performance runners, heavy tactical builds, and historic retro basketball silhouettes that carry deep historical weight. Rejecting superficial, flash-in-the-pan internet micro-trends, he makes choices that reflect a deep respect for subcultural authenticity, cementing his status as a legendary sneaker icon.
Aditya Roy Kapur : Epitomising effortless, laid-back charm, Aditya Roy Kapur’s footwear rotation mirrors his relaxed, approachably classic personal style. Avoiding overly flash-driven logomania, he has anchored his daily street style around an impeccable rotation of low-top canvas classics and retro runners. His curated closet provides a masterclass in clean minimalism, demonstrating to a massive Gen-Z audience how understated street style can outshine the loudest trend cycle.
Ravi Dubey : Mastering a sharp, highly sophisticated approach to contemporary tailoring, Ravi Dubey has carved out a unique style lane by blending classic menswear with luxury street elements. His curated footwear rotation relies heavily on sleek, minimalist luxury court silhouettes and pristine, monochromatic premium leather pairs. By pairing these clean, modern sneakers with sharply tailored suits and high-end formal wear, he provides a brilliant blueprint for contemporary red-carpet dressing.
Kunal Kemmu : A dedicated, long-term student of genuine street subculture, Kunal Kemmu possesses a deeply authentic sneaker archive that commands respect from community purists. His rotation skips over basic retail trends, spotlighting historical skate models, limited retro throwbacks, and beautifully weathered leather classics. His active engagement with the history behind his shoes shows a profound personal passion, proving his status as a legitimate collector who values subcultural roots over temporary internet clout.
Rithvik Dhanjani : Boldly pushing the boundaries of experimental style in television and digital media, Rithvik Dhanjani uses an expressive, high-energy approach to guide his footwear choices. His personal closet highlights highly unconventional, deconstructed shapes, exaggerated platform soles, and striking custom modifications. By treating his sneakers as a dynamic tool for personal experimentation, he consistently breaks away from safe, commercial fashion rules in his eye-catching public outfits.
Ishaan Khatter : Perfectly blending functional kinetic utility with high-street fashion, Ishaan Khatter’s footwear rotation is heavily dictated by his active background in dance and movement. His personal closet highlights an impressive mix of flexible, high-performance athletic builds alongside classic, durable Nike SB models. His youthful, high-energy approach to styling demonstrates how premium sneakers can easily retain their raw, athletic utility while dominating contemporary lifestyle trends.
Priyank Sharma : Rapidly transitioning from dominance in reality television to mainstream entertainment, Priyank Sharma has built an enviable collection focused on foundational street-culture pieces. His rotation is packed with legendary Air Jordan colourways, pristine white leather court classics, and high-heat collaborations that define modern street style. His sharp, highly athletic approach to styling offers a clean, visual lookbook for urban youth aiming to master the balance between sportswear and high-street fashion.
Sukhe (Musical Doctorz) : A relentlessly loud and proudly flamboyant force within the Indian pop music landscape, Sukhe translates his high-tempo musical beats directly into a hyper-vibrant sneaker collection. His eye-catching archive is packed with high-top models, eye-searing neon colourways, and striking metallic finishes engineered specifically for the stage. His daring personal styling choices actively celebrate pure pop maximalism, proving that the loudest shoes can safely serve as the ultimate anchor for a musical brand.
Divine (Vivian Divine) : The definitive voice of raw, authentic Indian hip-hop, Divine’s personal sneaker closet remains deeply rooted in the foundational history of street culture. Rejecting fleeting, overly commercial internet micro-trends, he relies on timeless court classics like the iconic triple-white Nike Air Force 1. His style matrix serves as an authentic reflection of the streets that birthed his music, proving that raw subcultural integrity will always outlive high-priced retail hype.
Tanuj Virwani : Solidifying a prominent, high-profile presence across India’s leading OTT platforms, Tanuj Virwani curates a versatile footwear rotation centred around relaxed, effortless modern style. His personal closet carefully balances high-comfort premium runners with eclectic, eye-catching lifestyle high-tops designed for casual public appearances. His approachable style metrics offer a functional, real-world blueprint for contemporary urban dressing that easily balances premium lifestyle trends with everyday comfort.
Karan Tacker : Renowned across the entertainment industry as an exceptionally sharp and sophisticated dresser, Karan Tacker provides a flawless masterclass in elevated streetwear. His premium footwear rotation shifts away from overly loud trend cycles, focusing heavily instead on ultra-clean, neutral-toned luxury court classics and pristine leathers. His curated lookbooks offer a definitive style manual on how to integrate premium casual footwear seamlessly into high-end, tailored menswear.
Aman Gupta : Dismantling traditional corporate sartorial rules one high-profile appearance at a time, Aman Gupta has commercialised a new “Tech-Founder Streetwear” uniform on national television. Known for pairing tailored premium blazers with hyper-vibrant, youthful lifestyle kicks, he matches his sneaker choices to the innovative, youth-centric energy of his consumer brand. His distinct rotation acts as a powerful style blueprint for India’s emerging generation of professional corporate builders.
Vijay Varma : Widely celebrated by core design communities as one of the most creatively articulate, genuine sneakerheads in Indian cinema, Vijay Varma treats his collection with serious artistic respect. His highly documented rotation is carefully curated with rare classic silhouettes, vintage Nike Dunks, and premium independent designer collaborations that highlight historical subcultural design. His brilliant ability to pair high-heat archival streetwear with high-end luxury tailoring makes him a powerful, elite tastemaker in the country’s modern fashion industry.
Varun Sood : Deeply rooted in authentic basketball subculture and vintage sports heritage, Varun Sood’s personal sneaker collection commands serious respect from core sneaker purists. His highly focused archive is packed with classic performance high-tops, retro court silhouettes, and historic hardwood colourways that trace the evolution of sports culture. His organic, basketball-first approach to styling offers a highly refreshing and authentic take on streetwear, completely free from fleeting retail-internet hype.
Ahan Shetty : Representing the vanguard of new-age cinema style, Ahan Shetty has earned his stripes within the community through an expansive, meticulously curated personal collection. Heavily centred on early-generation vintage Air Jordan 1 silhouettes, his sneaker matrix bridges historical sports nostalgia and modern-day high-street drops. His curated public appearances serve as standard lookbooks for youth styling, solidifying his voice as an influential modern tastemaker.
Nikhil Chinapa : As a legendary, multi-decade pioneer of India’s electronic music and subcultural youth movements, Nikhil Chinapa’s sneaker choices are deeply tied to the history of counterculture fashion. His vast personal rotation highlights complex, technical alternative shapes, underground design collaborations, and functional, festival-ready builds. His experimental approach to styling continues to inspire generations, proving that footwear should always serve as an authentic canvas for subcultural storytelling.
Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor : Widely regarded by community purists as one of India’s most analytical, uncompromising sneakerheads, Harsh Varrdhan Kapoor treats collecting as a form of archival preservation. Housing a legendary personal vault of over 600 pairs, his collection includes historic Air Jordan 1 Retro High Diors, ultra-rare Nike SB Dunks, and obscure global artistic collaborations. Recently named the national face of Converse, he has delivered a highly educational breakdown of material construction and design history, cementing his status as a true connoisseur of the culture.
Jim Sarbh : Widely celebrated for his masterfully eccentric and avant-garde approach to personal style, Jim Sarbh actively shuns mainstream commercial hype patterns in favour of artistic footwear narratives. His sneaker collection prioritises structural innovation, boundary-pushing silhouettes, and unique texture combinations over recognisable logos. By treating sneakers as pieces of wearable art rather than simple street apparel, he has created a unique style lane that appeals directly to global design purists.
Anand Ahuja : Beyond being a mere collector, the co-founder of VegNonVeg is the architect of modern institutional sneaker culture in India. Anand Ahuja didn’t just build a highly curated personal archive; he constructed the retail infrastructure and community touchpoints that allowed streetwear to flourish nationwide. His choices dictate shifts in the domestic market, making him an irreplaceable institution in design validation rather than a casual participant.
Keshav Sadhna : Rising quickly through the booming Indian OTT landscape with hits like College Romance, Keshav Sadhna reflects his youthful, relatable digital charm directly through his footwear choice. His rotation focuses heavily on high-durability, clean everyday skate silhouettes and retro court classics that seamlessly adapt to casual street styling. His grounded aesthetic serves as a reliable style blueprint for young professionals looking to bridge the gap between casual comfort and on-trend appeal for digital media.
Conclusion
As streetwear evolves from a trend into a way of life, the voices shaping this space are becoming increasingly influential in defining how India thinks about fashion, identity, and self-expression. The individuals featured in this list represent diverse disciplines but share one mission: to make street culture more accessible, informed, and visually inspiring. Their impact extends beyond social media, influencing habits, mindsets, and style choices at scale. As India embraces a more dynamic vision of everyday fashion, these 50 influencers are leading the conversation and setting the benchmark for the future of sneaker culture.
– Researched and Edited by: Vanshika Tayal
Disclaimer
The editorial team has curated this list based on a combination of factors, including digital presence, audience engagement, content quality, industry relevance, public influence, and overall contribution to the street-style and luxury-footwear ecosystem in India. The profiles are presented in a systematic sequence sorted by their digital footprint and Instagram follower counts at the time of publication. All information has been compiled from publicly available sources, including social media profiles, professional platforms, and digital footprint, as of the time of publication. Inclusion on this list is intended to recognise influence and contributions within the fashion and lifestyle industry.
