It’s not every day that you meet a septuagenarian sneakerhead! Alojz Ahram of Mainz, Germany wants people to know that there’s no age limit for expressing yourself through fashion. Alojz, who goes by “Gramps” online, recently celebrated his 77th birthday, yet he’s amassed a huge social media following thanks to his love of bright, funky street style fashion.
Behind Gramps’ fame is his grandson, Jannik Diefenbach. Twenty-six-year-old Jannik is a photographer and content creator who casually asked his grandpa if he would like to try on some of his streetwear a few years ago. Alojz jumped at the chance.
“It was a very spontaneous idea that we had in 2016,” Jannik explained. “I just had the idea of putting Gramps in my clothing at that time, so I asked him, he surprisingly said yes, and he looked amazing. He felt amazing, he felt very comfortable.”
Gramps models a variety of streetwear, from thick sweatshirts, colorful caps, and of course, every kind of sneaker under the sun! The fun dichotomy between young and old has gained a lot of attention, earning them millions of fans on Instagram and TikTok alone.
“We took some pictures, uploaded them and everyone loved it,” Jannik recalled. “Since Gramps enjoyed taking pictures and felt comfortable, we kept it up and never stopped.”
Both Jannik and Gramps were shocked by their sudden popularity. They hit the 1,000-follower mark very early, and Gramps was delighted! These days, they create a variety of different photo and video content. Sometimes, Gramps unboxes some new trainers, some days it’s a streetwear photoshoot, and sometimes, it’s just Jannik and Gramps hanging out.
While the COVID-19 pandemic slowed their traveling down for a while, the duo never stopped creating art. They’re both glad to be able to hit the city streets again to showcase youthful stylings, but lately they can’t go to many cities without Gramps getting recognized.
“Now, he loves being recognized on the streets and is always happy when someone asks for a selfie with him,” said Jannik. “He definitely enjoys being famous.”
Jannik and Gramps agree that the fame is wonderful, but the best part is all the time they get to spend together. They’ve always been close, but their shared hobby deepens their bond.
“It’s great to be able to spend so much time with Gramps. He’s a cool guy and it’s always fun to take photos of him,” Jannik explained.
Gramps hopes to spread a message of inclusivity in fashion. The fact that he’s in his 70s and can still rock a hoodie shows that there’s no age limit on fashion!
“There shouldn’t be a line that you can draw that says, ‘You shouldn’t wear this,’ or ‘You’re too old to wear this,’ or ‘You’re too old to like this, even,'” said Jannik. “Because, at the end of the day, you should do whatever you want to do, you should wear whatever you want to wear.”
What a terrific message, and we love Gramps’ style! We wish both of these fashionable influencers the best of luck with their fun, age-inclusive style.
You can find the sources of this article’s featured image here and here!
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