Sneakers are gradually evolving from a niche fashion to a mass market product, a market in China worth more than 100 billion yuan a year, and with increasingly more outlets and platforms from which they are being sold.

"From the perspective of gender differences, men's consumption habits are more targeted, they have less desire to go shopping, and there is little fun for them in 'sharing', Guo says.

"But things such as the rapid growth of live gaming broadcasts and the sneaker culture underline how the internet has enhanced men's market presence. Men today are displaying the same desire to vaunt their identity, and they're at ease and confident enough to complement more varied forms of presence in the consumer arena.

"Generally, men are more loyal to familiar brands and categories than women. For example, there are many types of cosmetics for women. Lipstick alone has many different brands and different color numbers. Young women are willing to try different products. Men pay more attention to comparability, and the difference between yours and mine is particularly important."

According to the 2019 Chinese Workplace Survey Report published by Zhaopin, one of China's biggest job recruitment sites, in 2018 men's income was 22 percent higher than that of women.