The traditional Indian footwear is now sporting dynamic designs, structured engineering and functional comfort, making it an option for casual wear and special occasions. Modish juttis are in
Divaesque designs
The jutti gained popularity in the 1600s when it was introduced in India by the Mughals and became extremely popular amongst the royals. Today, the jutti is a shoe closet staple. It is the complete makeover of the classic cut as the sheer versatility of the khussa (a style of Punjabi handcrafted footwear makes it a perfect, comfortable choice for all. Everyone cannot wear heels either. Laksheeta Govil, founder of Fizzy Goblet, an eight-year-old jutti company, says, “The idea is to take the traditional silhouette and make it super comfortable, with extra padding and contemporary designs. Once our juttis became synonymous with stylish comfort, we combined two silhouettes in sneaker juttis and loafer juttis, and pioneered mojari heels with a modern take on ethnic craftsmanship, while bringing in age-old craft techniques like tie-dye, mirror-work, and weaving and reinventing them to suit the demands of modern women.”
At Fizzy Goblet, classic techniques and materials have been translated into some designs, such as spotlighting crochet, raffia, cross-stitch, blanket-stitch, 3D, weaving and macramé, and other such techniques and materials, she shares. The company has focused on reviving hand painting in footwear too. The collaboration with Tribe Amrapali earlier used seven charms, including Evil Eye, and Yin Yang in a capsule collection too. Centuries-old craft forms are being revived in contemporary cuts of mojaris. Wildflowers, pleating, and soft patterns can be seen in the Summer 22’ collection of Needledust. Shirin Mann, founder and creative head of Needledust, says, “Our Wilderness jutti has been one of our most beautiful, satisfying design processes till date. It is made with real wildflowers: a mix of handpicked and handpressed blooms, carefully secured on a natural muslin base, by our design team. The flowers are then lined with a sheer fabric, creating a glazed shield, locking in the flowers between two layers, helping retain their natural shape without any withering.” The piece is then carefully sewe…
Shilpi Madan for Deccan Herald