Mumbai Cinderellas get shoes that fit

After an exasperating search through a dozen glitzy sandal stores dotting the city, is the absence of those perfect heels killing your pictured dressed-to-the-nine-look for that cocktail party or that much-awaited wedding function? Perhaps a visit to Payal Kothari’s small store, Veruschka, at Grant Road, may be of some help.

One can walk into the store anytime and opt for a pair of customised heels by choosing from an assorted variety of shoe stones, shoe accessories and fabrics available in a variety of colours at the store. After deliberation on the design and the look of the heels with the designer, the finished product will be delivered to the customers. “On display are the material and style catalogues to help the customers design their own shoes creatively,” says Kothari, who has been in the shoe making business since 2002. A student of accessory design from the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, Kothari also supplies shoes to select city stores and doles out customised shoes for her clients on a regular basis.

While the dress and jewellery demand most attention for any big ticket occasion, shoes are deemed as secondary contributors to the over-all look. However, Kothari feels that this attitude is changing steadily, with more people now wearing shoes “not for the sake of it” but rather “for comfort and style.”

Many of Kothari’s clients seek her expertise for need-based problems as well. “Women with big feet go through hell to find their shoe size. They often have to compromise on the style and look of the footwear,” says Kothari, who counts women with big feet among her loyal clientele.

With a shoe size 13, for some like Carmen, an expat living in the city, Kothari is where her shoe hunting woes end. So, while Kothari comes to the rescue of big-feet women, quite literally, by customising the size of their heels to strike the right balance for a brisk walk, the flat-footed women are taken care of by padding in extra cushioning in their footwear.

For Neha Chadha, a regular client of Kothari, the accommodating nature of the designer is what impresses her the most. Having found her dress for a cocktail party, Chadha was hunting for a pair of matching sandals, when she chanced upon Kothari’s designs through a friend. “I had this pair of heels which were in cloth material, but I wanted something similar in suede, which I wasn’t getting anywhere,” says Chadha.

The price range for the personalised shoes starts from Rs3,500 and can go up depending upon the need and extent of customisation. Home-maker Wafa Memon, a Bandra resident, is another loyal client, who often recommends friends and family to visit the store. So, when Memon had to attend a family wedding last month, she just turned to Kothari to take care of her footwear needs. “I am slightly over-weight and have a small daughter who I need to carry most of the time,” says Memon, who was able to stand for long hours at the wedding “because her heels were extremely comfortable.”

For lastest designs, check out www.veruschka.in