Designer duo Gauri and Nainika Karan, known for their cocktail dresses and red-carpet gowns, are now dabbling in footwear too. The sisters have designed a line of shoes for Koovs. Called Gauri & Nainika X KOOVS, the line comprises 19 styles and will be available on Koovs starting today. Nainika fills in t2 on their footwear debut.

Tell us about the shoe collaboration with Koovs…

Doing this collaboration was a lot of fun, this was our second collaboration with Koovs. Gauri and I are crazy about shoes, like all women. We are petite and we have always worn high heels. Though this is the first time we have designed shoes, we understand shoes very well in terms of comfort, heel and structure. We had a blast designing this collection.

These shoes would retain our brand DNA and go with all kinds of occasion wear, mainly for the evening and cocktails.

The collection is glamorous, wearable and versatile. There is an element of luxury to it… there are metallic finishes, a hint of shimmer and glitter… a little bit of texture going on… flowers, pearls, foil texture, velvet…. So a combination of a lot of things… there is something for everyone. 

What was the starting point for the design board?

As a brand, we are all about timeless elegance and glamour. We have always been influenced by old Hollywood glamour… fashion from the ’50s… basically anything that is feminine and timeless is our style. We have carried on with the same in our shoes. Instinctively we thought we should do timeless pieces. We have done rich velvets… things that look like old-world glamour but again modern and clean at the same time. 

How crazy is crazy when it comes to shoes for you?

All women have more shoes than they can possibly help! I mean I haven’t met a girl who is not obsessed with shoes. Gauri and I are at the top of that list! It is also a lot about comfort. We are not high on stuff that is too blingy. I think the collection does have elements of being understated and classy yet statement-ey. We understand shoes. So, when we were drawing the design and figuring out the technical details and the structure, we were like we will have this platform in front… we would like to give the ball of the foot this kind of support and so on. We had the support of the Koovs team which had the technical know-how… it was a great experience.  

What are the things you look out for when buying a pair of heels?

I think no matter how stunning the shoe is, you got to try it on and see whether you would actually be able to wear it.

The heel has to be designed in a way so that you are able to balance in it. In one hour you should not be like, ‘I want to go home because I am so miserable’. So, we have kept that in mind.  

So heels dominate your shoe closet?

Totally! Gauri and I are all about high heels… the higher the better. (Laughs)

And the secret to ace it is...

I think it’s all in the design. It’s technical. It also depends on what your foot is used to. Some people are used to wearing platforms and wedges and some people are used to wearing stilettos and your back and foot get used to that shape.

That’s why we have every shape. 

Can we ask how many pairs you have in your personal collection?

Oh god! Okay! It’s not obscene for sure. After a while, we tend to give them away. Gauri and I don’t like to hoard our shoes. 

What was your last shoe buy?

I’ve just had a baby. So I bought a pair of flats from Aldo. I have been on flats for a while, but I cannot wait to get back to my high heels. I don’t think it’s always important to spend on really expensive designer shoes. You can invest in a pair here and there. I personally feel you can get shoes from high-street stores, they do a fabulous job.

On the clothes front, what’s new from your label?

We’ve started an evening wear line with a bit of embroidery and sparkle. People are looking for a hint of sparkle and embroidery now and just want to go really all out these days. For brides and the big wedding parties, girls are not holding back at all… they are totally dressing up like they are going for the Oscars! The young brides want to feel like princesses. They don’t really care how long the trail is or about the volume. So a lot of volume and glamour is in.