Aprajita Toor's Kolhapuris are meant for walking, and that’s what they will do! This line inspired by the Nancy Sinatra classic best describes the comfortable footwear with a desi twist, which has found favour with top notch actresses such as Janhvi Kapoor and Kajol. Although this Mumbai-based designer studied jewellery design from Indian Institute of Jewellery, it was in footwear design where she found her calling six years ago. “I am a size 11 and I once picked up two really pretty pairs which I had to give up, because they weren’t available in my size,” she shares. That’s when she realised that there was a lack of size inclusivity when it comes to shoes and stepped in hoping to fill that gap.
Shine on
One of her latest collections are called Robak Turq, easy-to-wear sliders, which are available in blue, beige, gold and black. They are embellished with hand-embroidered motifs in a knob pattern and are made from leatherette with a metallic sheen. Recently, she also launched a collection, titled Khaitoon (means beauty, in Arabic). These shoes come adorned with flower discs, and woollen pom-poms. This range will be available in Hyderabad-based multi-designer store Ogaan in a fortnight.
Colour coded
The other top pick includes Manaka, which makes use of beads and colour-blocking. Apart from the ‘make in India’ element, the other factor that is the highlight of her label is the great attention to detail. “The next line I am coming up has a special strap just for the pinky toe,” shares Aprajita. These footwear are versatile and can go with both ethnic and casual ensembles. “You can wear it like actress Kajol did with a pair with denim, or like Kriti, with an over-sized dress,” she shares. You can shop for her latest collection on her website, aprajitatoor.com. A word of caution though; glancing through her website might evoke the inner Rebecca Bloomwood in you!
Available online.
Rs 2,400 onwards.