This is no Cinderella glass slipper. Standing front and centre of the movement that takes deliberately ugly designs and elevates them to high fashion is the Balenciaga ugly sneaker, a deformed, clunky form of footwear that, in a surprising twist of fate, has the nod of almost every major fashion influencer from around the world, from Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid to Rihanna.
And the Balenciaga ugly sneaker, formally called the Triple S, has recently touched down on Indian shores, thanks to the current queen of cult fashion trends Janhvi Kapoor, and millionaire heiress Tania Shroff. Janhvi wore hers to visit big brother Arjun Kapoor on his birthday, pairing it with her favourite Off-White sling bag, another mark of her fashion insider status.

Janhvi colour-coordinated her clunky Balenciaga sneakers with her ubiquitous glittery water bottle
Tania Shroff was spotted exiting popular celebrity eatery, Bastian, with her boyfriend Ahan Shetty (Suniel Shetty’s soon-to-be-launched son). While Tania wore the sweetest summer fashions for her debut editorial shoot with ELLE India, she picked a mesh top and ripped boyfriend jeans as a more sensible lunch outfit.
Tania Shroff’s Balenciaga ugly sneakers are a departure from the heiress’s usual sexy style
What do you think of the latest celebrity fashion craze?
Bollywood’s favourite sneakers could work for you too
Puma basket heartNimrat Kaur may be rocking a sporty look but those shoe's belong more on a runway than they do on a tennis court. Puma's basket heart sneakers have ribbon like laces which when tied into a bow have your feet looking like they should be sitting pretty beneath a christmas tree.
Cop them here for ₹5,400.
Golden Goose distressed sneakersThese pre-distresed sneakers are a Bollywood favourite. Everyone from Shah Rukh Khan to Kareena own a pair. The Golden Goose Superstar Sneaker has a suede star, metallic leather accents, stained laces and is intentionally heavily distressed and scuffed.
Cop it here for ₹31,000 (approx).
Vans fringe sneakersParineeti Chopra is all about those fringe benefits with these Vans. We're loving the twist to the classic white kicks.
Cop your pair here for ₹ 4,700 (approx)
Alexander McQueen sneakersJhanvi Kapoor is all about setting trend especially when it comes to her accessories. we love sport style and these monotone pumps nail it.
Cop a pair here for ₹32,00 (approx)
Converse All StarsThe only thing more iconic than Kareena Kapoor is the Chuck taylor Converse All Star edition. Any and every sneaker head has a pair, Shraddha Kapoor and Kareena have theirs in red.
Cop a pair at any Converse store.
Cut-off plimsolesFor those who think lacing up a pair of sneakers is too much of a commitment for the day, slip on a pair of cut-offs.
Cop a pair here for ₹1,195
Adidas Originals SuperstarPossibly one of the most recognisable sneaker styles out there. Adidas' Superstar match with pretty much anything and is guaranteed to lend your outfit some street cred.
Cop a pair here for ₹7,599