Why men love their sole mates

Bollywood hunk Saif Ali Khan has a roomful of shoes. He takes personal care of each of these pairs to the point of “worshipping”, almost talking to them. His wife Kareena reveals that he treats his shoes like human beings! Well, he is not the only one. There are men who, if not obsessed, share the same passion as Saif. While women also love their shoes, men get emotionally attached to them. Gone are the days when the mere mention of Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin would have a woman’s heart racing. Now shoes evoke the same feeling in men as soccer and Scotch. Designer Navonil Das, one half of Dev R Nil, owns 25 pairs of shoes and feels it’s extremely important to have the right shoe with the right attire for the right occasion. He clarifies that he doesn’t have a shoe fetish, but a shopping session is incomplete without the acquisition of a new pair of shoes. “I am not a mall guy. I am scared that whenever I am out I’ll end up buying another pair. Nowadays we get custom-made shoes and slippers for our collection so that becomes an indulgence,” says Nil. Dev takes care of his shoes even more than Nil and weekly cleaning is a must for him. If Dev puts them up on the kitchen table to clean, Nil is a big fan of shoe spas at airports. “It’s a good place for me to treat them to luxury once in a while. A confession — I steal the complimentary shoe mitts from all the hotels I stay in,” chuckles Nil. Sumit Saurabh, photographer and director, Pingakash Tradex Pvt. Ltd, is a proud owner of seven pairs of party shoes, three pairs of running shoes, a pair of badminton shoes, three pairs of tennis shoes and three pairs of formal shoes. He explains, “Shoes are the first thing people notice. In today’s time it’s very important to dress up properly if you want to be taken seriously. So if my shoes are taking care of how I appear to the world then it becomes my duty to treat them like a ‘boss’. Therefore, every time I buy a new pair of shoes I get shoe care creams and brushes for the old ones. And since I am a frequent flier, I treat them to spa sessions.” Those who thought that only metrosexual and fashion-conscious men share an emotional relationship with shoes, are proved wrong by musician Rishi Dutta, of the band Rishi Inc. He says, “I am just crazy about shoes. I have about 14 pairs ranging from formal to casual and not to forget the cool types. Though I have no loyalty towards any specific brand, I try to match it with my outfit especially for my gigs. Since they are my companions wherever I go, it becomes my moral responsibility to keep them shining and in good health.”