SARTORIAL TREND BESPOKE SHOES

While bespoke clothing has been always been the norm for grooms, bespoke shoes are now coming into their own. Adding another step of customisation is the footwear. Bespoke shoemakers like Mumbai’s Nirali Ruparel, whose brand Achille’s Heel specialises in exquisite patina leather shoes for grooms or Hyderabad-based Tarun Oblum, whose handcrafted shoes are extremely popular. “There’s an emerging trend of high quality Indian footwear as well,” says the shoemaker, whose hand-welded mojris, and embroidered zardozdi on calfskin loafers are all the rage. The shoemaker relies strongly on the philosophy of less machinery and more craftsmanship, resulting in a small batch production of 50-70 pairs a month, all of which have an Argentinian crust for the uppers of all shoes, adds Oblum.