Traditional sandals studded with colourful stones, beads and embellished with thread and zari are selling like hot cakes in the capital. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 23: Youngsters in the capital don’t seem to believe in the necessity of brands when it comes to walking in style.

Fashion conscious boys and girls of the city are instead opting for ethnic footwear to give a touch of Indian glamour to their western outfits.

Traditional designs in footwear have caught the fancy of youngsters of late as they have given up expensive and branded footwear and turned to classy and ethnic designs.

The most impressive thing about Indian footwear is that it has variety, style and oodles of glam.

From Rajasthani jootis, mojris, nagras, Kolhapuri chappals to flat thong sandals, all are in vogue.

Ethnic footwear come in a wide range of styles and patterns. High heels or flats, thong straps or phulkari work, colourful studded stones or multi-coloured beads, fine threadwork or shimmering zari work, an array of designs are available in traditional footwear that is flooding the market.

“There is so much potential in our Indian style, so why run after the West? Glamour and glitz define our culture. The best part about ethnic footwear is that they blend well with any kind of outfit and suit every occasion. They are cheap and whenever I go out shopping for shoes, I usually end up buying four to five pairs for different events. Chappals with fine traditional thread work on a broad strap are my favourites,” said Preeti Patra, a medical student.

Indian style footwear is easily available in any of the shoe showrooms in Ashok Nagar, Market Building and Bapuji Nagar at affordable prices. Starting from Rs 300, the price of these footwear may go up to Rs 2,000. The price range depends upon the amount of craft, artwork and design of shoes.

Eco-friendly chappals made from jute fibre are easily available within Rs 300. They are comfortable and go well with Indian wear. Benarasi sari straps on ladies footwear give a chic look and can be worn with both casual and formal wear.

“For the last couple of years, we have seen an increase in the sale of Indian footwear. Mostly college-going students are demanding footwear with Indian phulkari work. Boys prefer Kolhapuri chappals while girls are going for flats with glittering thread work,” said Pradipta Jena, salesman of a shoe showroom at Ashok Nagar.

The latest designs and patterns of ethnic footwear are now posing a challenge to the western brands.

“I have always been fond of brands. But recently I have noticed that the markets are suddenly flooded with very good-looking traditional footwear. Beaded footwear and jute jootis are my favourites,” said 25-year-old Praveena Kumar, a software professional.