Beaded Steps

What happens when three creative brains from two diverse brands come together? A Cinderella-esque collection, albeit with an Indian soul, of footwear brand is created.

- Mitali Goyal

It was a busy afternoon when one of my closest friends rang up. I received the call only to hear something I was not prepared for. “You are coming, right?” She asked. She had sent over her wedding invitation at my house as I sat completely unaware, to be precise, 1,340 miles away. I knew where this conversation was heading to and I answered, “Of course.”

It was three years back when I had bought my first ever pair of juttis, my Needledust juttis for my friend’s wedding. It was also the first time when, from the bottom of my heart, I had wanted to invest in a designer lehenga choli for her wedding, Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla couture being closest (my savings did not allow that though.)

I also remember the first time when I stepped into a Needledust boutique in Delhi. It was nothing short of a candy shop to me, luring me to every piece on the shelves and actually buying everything. What stopped me was the fear of my mother screaming at the top of her voice!

Three years later, she was finally getting married. While researching for my wardrobe, I got another good news. Designer duo Abu Jani & Sandeep Khosla were collaborating with Shirin Mann of Needledust. I couldn’t contain my excitement. Not for the fact that it was an interesting collaboration but because I knew what I was picking next for my shoe wardrobe. But, before that I needed to do something that involved getting in touch with these designers for an interview to know how this collaboration came about.