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He’s been dubbed the most stylish grandpa on the internet – and if you’re not convinced, just take a quick scroll through Alojz Abram’s social media feed. Pictures of the elderly Slovenian, coolly kitted in hoodies, sweats and sneakers, prove why he’s deserving of the title.
At 75, Alojz or Gramps as he’s affectionately known, has more street style than most people half his age.
His grandson, Jannik Diefenbach, who also photographs his looks, says Gramps has always had a good sense of fashion. “Gramps was born and raised in Slovenia and during his teenage years he pulled off some cool looks. At least that's what he tells me,” Jannik says.
Gramps, a retired glassmaker, started wearing streetwear back in 2016
when his grandson asked him to try on his clothes.
“He looked super cool,” Jannik says. “Since he looked so good and felt comfortable in my clothes, we took some pictures and uploaded them on Instagram.”
The pictures were a hit. Soon clothing-related pages started reposting the images and Gramps’ account, managed by Jannik, attracted thousands of followers. “At first Gramps didn't know what happened because he didn't understand social media and the concept of likes and followers,” he recalls.
“But as weeks turned into months, people started to recognise him on the streets. They even asked to take pictures with him. That's when he realised he was kind of an internet sensation.”
It’s easy to see why Gramps has turned into a social media influencer. Not only does he pull off styles favoured by celebs with ease, but he also nails their poses. In one image he recreates a Justin Bieber look.
Sporting camouflage pants, a green hoodie and a washed orange baseball cap worn backwards, Gramps stands with his feet wide apart and gazes to the side while his iPhone casually dangles from his hand.
In another post, he puts an edgy spin on the picture of Bernie Sanders at President Joe Biden’s inauguration that went viral earlier this year.
The pensioner now boasts more than one million followers on Instagram.
His internet fame has led him to create a clothing line called Approved by
Gramps, which includes jewellery, T-shirts and caps.
If you thought Gramps only gets dressed up for his followers on the ’gram, you’d be wrong. If you’d see him on the street, he’d look just like he does on Instagram. “I like how comfortable the clothes and sneakers are compared to my old wardrobe,” Gramps says.
Jannik says he and his granddad have always had a close bond, but their
shared hobby has brought them even closer. “When I was a kid, Gramps used to
pick me up from school once a week,” he recalls. “We used to play football and
sometimes table tennis.”
Before the pandemic struck, the pair spent a lot of time travelling together. “Now we spend time together on a regular basis,” Jannik says. “We work with brands and create lots of photo and video content which is perfect to relive the special moments we've had so far.
“Spending time with Gramps is always fun, he’s the coolest grandpa I could ever imagine.”
Sources: boredpanda.com, ladbible.com, complex.com
