In the fashion culture of India, footwear has a special place. The indigenous footwear industry has survived decades of evolution in style statements and exposure to overseas fashion. No matter the landscape, urban or rural, the appeal of indigenous footwear varieties is still alive and kicking across India.
No matter how urbane lifestyle has fused itself into the overall traditional scene, Indian garments and footwear has good demand. In fact, it has transcended the subcontinent’s boundaries and has won the hearts of even the foreigners. Tourists who visit India love to explore the rich variety of footwear India has to offer.
Indigenous shoemakers still witness great demand for exclusively crafted varieties that are great in quality and rich in aesthetics. Different cultural overlaps, that is a salient feature of Indian history, has only enriched very much in vogue in the booming Indian fashion scene. Indigenous footwear is a thriving industry that is largely in the hands of the unorganized sector. The versatility of this sector to adapt with the changing trends and seasonal choices is nevertheless commendable. This element is part of study in the curriculum of accessory designing schools.Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, New Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Kerala and West Bengal are the major footwear producing states in India.
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The boom in footwear training institutes is an indicator of a promising domain where there will be increasing need for footwear designers and entrepreneurs. You can learn about varieties of Indian footwear that are in vogue at accessory designing schools. These footwear’s include:
Jutti Footwear
With a Punjabi origin, the jutti was once a footwear of the royalty. Today, it is an adorable and fashionable footwear, made with leather, known for its sturdiness and artistic makeovers. Worn by women and men alike, it has no specific right and left foot as it takes the form of the foot it is worn on. India largely caters to the domestic crowd. Besides a smaller percentage of exports, international brands are making their products in India. India is already among the world’s top 10 largest footwear exporters.
Kolhapuri Chappal
Kolhapuri chappal is a highly famed variety of Indian footwear. These are mostly T-straps and are handcrafted. Made of leather, they are tanned using vegetable dyes. They are made by local shoemakers in Maharashtra. The footwear is typical for its versatility and goes well with Indian and Western outfits. With a modernized society that largely prefers brand, the existence of purely Indian footwear has become part of a parallel market. The players here are small and medium entrepreneurs (SMEs). Footwear like these comprises the largest segment of trends, which has great variety for women.
Mojari Footwear
With origins in the Mughal Era, mojari are made from tanned leather and is known especially for its exquisite embellishments. The top portion is made of leather or cloth, ornate with embellishment using mirrors, brass nails, bells, ceramic beads and cowrie shells. It is symbolic of cultural diversity and rich ethnicity of India. In the future, the indigenous footwear industry is projected to have a booming trend with better organisation, mechanized processes and defined manufacturing systems. These will improve the Indian footwear industry scenario that shall compete with big brands in the organised sector.