Sneakers are such a symbol today that “sneakerheads,” as they call themselves, pay significant amount of money just to flex or resell. How did the simple sneaker change from a canvas and rubber thing that allows you to run in comfort to today’s high fashion statement? “Suddenly sneakers became a status symbol, similar to owning the latest gadget or wearing an expensive watch, when in the past, they were just completely utilitarian things to put on your feet when you ran around the street or play sports in.
From limited release to sought-after collabs or designer kicks with hefty price tags, the sneaker world is filled with shoes that are so expensive, it would make even the most well-off sneakerheads have second thoughts.
Let’s face it, not everyone can afford to buy these grail sneakers, and that’s why the counterfeit market is growing and thriving. Some people wouldn’t mind buying knockoffs or replicas as long as they can project a hypebeast image on social media for people to rate their fits. Maybe for them “If it looks cool, quality doesn’t matter” after all, It’s just for show.
During this pandemic, it’s no secret that clothes and shoes are not on top of anyone’s priority list, but when you do decide to buy, shouldn’t you be more discerning and practical?
There are a lot of ‘legit’ local brands out in the market whether it’s bags, apparel and of course, footwear that gives you more bang for your buck.
Buy More with Less!
For more than four decades, the people behind World Balance made it their mission to create and produce affordable footwear for every Filipino, with brands like Easy Soft and East Rock, the company is being true to their promise in releasing highly affordable, innovative and fashion forward shoes without sacrificing quality.
The New Kid on the Block: One Up
One Up is made for the consumer who’s smart about their money. The new sub brand from World Balance is out to disprove the notion “if it costs more, it’s better” or “or lower priced products can’t be any good”.
As cliché as it sounds, One Up is all about value for money in terms of comfort and quality, positioned at a lower price point with sneakers for as low as P799.
In this pandemic, people are not going to spend money on shoes” especially parents who have kids begging for hype sneakers.
“Four, five to eight thousand is a lot of money at this time with the situation that we are currently in. It’s going to be a sacrifice,” “Anybody that would take their money to buy a pair of sneakers and struggle to pay bills, food, everything for me is impractical.
In a Highly Competitive Market, Will Consumers Be Open to An Upstart Brand?
With World Balance proven track record in delivering quality footwear, there is no doubt that it will be received positively by consumers.
A good example will be One Up’s Arvo athleisure sneakers. The shoe was greatly received by consumers and has been flying off World Balance store shelves and online in less than a month. In fact the Arvo sneakers have been dubbed as One Up’s answer to World Balance wildly popular Invictus line. Other models like Darko, Cresta, Elysium, Perseus and Celestial are among the top sellers and continue to sell well.
Recently, the brand just released another wave of surefire kicks with Sorell, Sonic Racer, Cassius and Haywire.
The people behind CHG Global (the company behind all the brands mentioned in this article) were able to come up with affordable products that sends a message to “save that extra P1,000 and buy yourself or your kids some books or clothes“ is truly remarkable, especially at this time.
One Up carries different styles ranging from performance and mostly, athleisure shoes with budget-friendly price tags, the new kid on-the-block footwear brand will make sole searching for the perfect pair much more fun.
ADVT