Shoes are one of the most essential parts of any look. Whether you’re someone who is fashion-forward or someone who likes to stick to the classics, shoes play an important role in your wardrobe.
A nice pair of shoes can make or break your look. It can be the difference between a good day, where you feel like you’ve been walking on clouds, or a bad day, where you feel like every step you take is like stepping on a nail.
While there are many brands that have stood the test of time in giving us stunning and comfortable shoes to wear all these years, we decided to take a look closer to home for designers and labels that make exceptionally good footwear.
These homegrown brands can rival any international brand when it comes to craftsmanship and quality. They earn extra brownie points for being sustainable and highlighting traditional Indian crafts.
Footwear Brands in India
From Needledust’s juttis to 7-10 Sneakers’ cool kicks, here are some of our favourite homegrown footwear brands that deserve a place in your wardrobe…
Needledust
Designer Shirin Mann created everyone’s favourite jutti brand after failing to find one that she liked for her wedding outfit. In an interview with HELLO! the designer admitted that her love for juttis has been inherited from her parents and it has now led her to create a brand that’s loved by celebrities and has revived interest in an almost-forgotten Indian craft.
Fizzy Goblet
You could not scroll past celebrity Diwali posts without coming across multiple stars wearing Fizzy Goblet footwear. Founder Laksheeta Govil used her experience working for brands like Puma to launch her own label. In their own words, Fizzy Goblet puts a modern twist on a classic shoe.
The CAI Store
The brainchild of Aradhana and Dhanraj Minawala, this vegan footwear brand prides itself for always bieng on-trend and affordable. The brand recently opened its first store in Mumbai earlier this year and sees patronage from celebrities and influencers like Rhea Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Aashna Shroff, and Sakshi Shivdasani.
Aprajita Toor
Designer Aprajita Toor launched her eponymous label back in 2012 when she realised that Indian sandals weren’t easily available in the markets as other type of footwear. Over the years, she has been on a journey to find and highlight the excellant craftsmanship hidden in the smaller towns of the country. Her collection is versatile and easy-to-wear.
Paio
Designer Shweta Nimkar took her love for all things shoes a step further by creating her label Paio. The cruelty-free, sustainable, and conscious fashion brand boasts of shoes that are handcrafted by traditional craftsmen who create designs that blend modernity with tradition effortlessly.
Oceedee
Co-founders Anshul Sood and Neha Kumthekar named the brand after their obsessive focus on every minute detail of the shoe-making process that has resulted in footwear that’s “customised for comfort”. The modern, sleek, and minimal designs look good and feel good as well.
7-10 Sneakers
Sneakers have become a thriving sub-subculture in their own right. It was no surprise when it pervaded the country too. Founder of 7-10 Sneakers, Shibani Bhagat understood this and launched her brand in February 2022 to carve a niche for an Indian brand in the global sneakers market. The diverse collection has something for everyone, with bold and graphic sneakers as well as neutral and classic ones..
