Soothe your Sole.
By Shradha Aswani
With the season of festivities upon us, Indian wear is bound to go through more rounds of dry-cleaning than it does at other times of the year. As facials restore the glow on your face, and gel-polishes lock in the beauty of your nails, the most dreaded part of any prolonged celebration is the toll it takes on your feet. This wedding season, Masala brings you a range of ethnic shoe brands (with international shipping of course) whose comfort and style will give painful pencil-heels a run for their money!
PASTELS & POP (pictured above)
Founded with the vision to introduce the vibrancy and grace of Punjabi juttis to rest of the country, Pastels & Pop has become a popular name worldwide. Their handcrafted collection of authentic designs could go well with salwars and jeans alike, complimenting both ethnic and fusion wear equally. Not just for women, they also have an exclusive collection for men, and the fine leather in their make encloses your feet in comfort and lets them breathe even after hours of donning them.
www.pastelsandpop.com
STOFFA STYLE
The new spin on Kolhapuri chappals by Stoffa Style allows you kill two birds with one stone, except not literally. Their cushioned and elegant designs let your legs be at ease, while their vegan materials neutralise a slice of your burden on the planet. A recent collection line launched in collaboration with Tweak India, Twinkle Khanna’s digital content platform brought the brand to fame for its tasteful looks and sustainable ethos. My favourite thing about the brand is the variety of colours and heel styles it offers, allowing you to pick and match according to your preferences.
www.stoffastyle.com
THE SAREE SNEAKERS
While wearing sneakers with your lehenga is not as much of a head-turner as it used to be once upon a time, wearing regular running shoes underneath, despite their invisibility, might take away from the feel of your elaborate attire. Cut to: hand embroidered sneakers that you can show-off as much as your outfit. The Saree
Sneakers give sneakers an Indian twist with beautiful handwork, zardozi, and chikankari designs, that you can also choose to get custom-made per what you’re wearing. While the brand itself doesn’t offer shipping outside of India yet, you can order them off azafashions.com or send them an email with your request. www.thesareesneakers.com
FIZZY GOBLET
Despite the many brands that now offer embellished footwear, it is clear from the diversity of their offerings that Fizzy Goblet was, and is, a pioneer. The brand offers a range of options that ladies of all ages can wear, including loafers, brogues, sneakers, and more. Their funky, innovative looks, intricate handwork, subtle designs, and soothing colours can help you find an elegant match for every event of the wedding or function you are about to attend.
www.fizzygoblet.com
NEEDLEDUST
Having risen to fame with their premium leather juttis, Needledust now offers amazing mules, perhaps some of the best on offer, for the ones who, like me, can’t take to the former owing to our fear of shoe-bites. What sets them apart from the brands listed before is the signature aesthetic of the founder, Shirin Mann Sangha whose design sensibilities distinguish every hand-embroidered shoe that comes out of the brand. ts them breathe even after hours of donning them.
www.needledust.com
AROUND ALWAYS
When you’re looking to go east, Bengal offers a unique flavour. Combining the local craftsmanship of Kolkata with sustainable production practices, textile designer Shreya Goenka’s vision for Around Always was to create custom-made footwear to pair with ethnic outfits. Branded essentially as a bridal footwear brand, it offers a plethora of less-heavy options as well, with particularly beautiful varieties of wedges and flats that complete your festive look.
www.aroundalways.com
CEREMONY SHOES
Despite the love I hold for flats, there are some outfits, like a sari, that just stand out more when paired with heels. Ceremony Shoes sports a collection for an occasion exactly like these. Their chic and colourful block peep-toes are cushioned for comfort, and delicately crafted for elegance. They have a store in Thonglor for
you to try them out before you buy. ts them breathe even after hours of donning them.
Instagram: @ceremony.shoes
