Fun on your feet

Decoding the evolution of traditional Indian footwear, juttis...

Every woman loves a good pair of juttis. Be it traditional attire or western, juttis are the most versatile piece of footwear that can instantly add some sparkle and shine to one’s overall look. Juttis originated from various parts of North India, mainly from Punjab and parts of Rajasthan. Their history goes beyond 400 years when they were created using various royal embroidery using gold and silver threads along with other traditional tilla juttis. A lot has changed since then, from fabric to prints, to the design, juttis have evolved considerably. But the latest trend is that of hand-painting and customising this desi footwear which makes it completely unique.

Traditional yet modern

Keeping intact the essence of this traditional art and blending it with today’s fashion needs, makers are creating designs that are not only liked by jutti lovers, but also by the ones who have never tried juttis before. Some of the designs incorporated in juttis today are traditional Indian art like Warli and Mithila paintings which not only give the juttis an ethnic touch but also connect one to our Indian roots.

Apart from desi designs, makers are also introducing quirky and cute patterns such as ladybugs and bees on juttis. Such juttis are perfect for jeans and dresses and are thus popular with young college-going girls. For those who love edgy fashion, there are also juttis that have funny slogans beautifully calligraphed over them with vibrant colours such as: ‘Dekho, magar pyaar se’, ‘Kudi Pataka’, and more.

Juttis are quintessentially traditional, but they can also be paired up beautifully with western attire. All one has to do is to pick juttis with quirky and contemporary designs such as animals, nature, and more. For instance, try out a jutti with a beautifully painted unicorn on one foot and ‘Dream like a Unicorn’ calligraphed over the other. Or try juttis with cute little pandas over them. Options are aplenty. In case you want something topical, like for a particular festival, many jutti-makers also come up with Diwali and
Christmas-inspired collections.

Juttis have not only changed the whole idea of wearing footwear, but now, people can associate their personal choices, memories and designs by customising their own pair of juttis; this means that they have complete freedom on the colour choices and patterns. For all the brides, there are many embellished juttis available that can fit very well with their attire. What more, brides can also customise their juttis and also order the same for their bridesmaids. Such juttis make for lovely gifts, too.

From a basic piece of footwear, juttis have evolved into an uber fashionable item.

(The author is founder, The Haelli)