Elegant Footwear In A Woman's Closet

It was first patronized by the Mughals and was popular amongst the kings and the queens. Today, fine embroidery, pearls, beads, and stones have been used to give the jutti a touch of elegance along with the essence of true Indian tradition. As a part of this festive season, we explore the segment.

Inherently Punjabi and typically Indian, jutti, also known as ‘mojari and ‘nagra’, the traditional North Indian footwear, is originally made of pure leather and have exquisite embroidery and additional embellishments that give it a unique appeal. It was first patronized by the Mughals and was popular amongst the kings and the queens. It is believed that Rajasthan, in particular, was the hub, where the making of these exquisite shoes first originated.

“Jutti is one of the most elegant forms of footwear in a woman’s closet. But unfortunately it hasn’t had the same amount of popularity as other forms,” says Shilpa Agarwalla, founder of Delhi-based jutti brand Shilpsutra. Shilpa says that Shilpsutra brings a line of bespoke fine leather juttis, that illustrate the appeal of a genuine old-fashioned craftsman with a craving to produce high road form for those that wear and appreciate style, culture, and exclusivity.

For her the fascination with juttis started when she went looking for a perfect pair of footwear while shopping for her sister’s wedding long back. I am, Shilpa says, sure there are a lot of women like me who would want a fashionable, authentic and comfortable solution that they can wear for multiple occasions. “Also, there was a personal ambition to bring to people the lost art of “chotta punja”, the style of juttis worn by the queens of yesteryears.” This motivated her to launch the brand.

Drishti Mahajan, Founder and Creative Head at House of Vian states that over the past few years, juttis as a handicraft has seen an increase in buyers. She attributes the main reason to the younger generation’s interest in the handicraft, and their research on why it’s a dying craft. House of Vian manufactures leather Juttis, mojaris, wedges and handcrafted clutches.