Khussas remain favourite footwear for Eid

Adorned with traditional designs and beads the hand crafted leather shoes come from Punjab and Sindh

ISLAMABAD: The embroidered and crafted handmade footwear khussa has become the most favourite traditional footwear item among women buyers who were busy in Eid shopping in the twin city of Islamabad and Rawalpindi with its affordable prices.

Khussa sales goes up significantly during the holy month of Ramazan as Eidul Fitr is being approaching nearer and the women were preferring to wear trendy cultural khussa shoes that would match to their Eid outfits.

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According to shopkeepers, there were different types of khussas which were prepared in Multan, Bahawalpur, Lahore, Sargodha, and Sheikhupura, and in some parts of Sindh and easily available in almost all parts of the country.

These days khussas can be made on order with specify design also. While instead of traditional leather a wide range of other fabrics are being used to make them such as velvet, cotton, silk, jaamawaar etc.

A shopkeeper Zahid Suleman said, hundreds of designs are available in a multitude variety of vibrant colours on khussa shops to attract the Eid customers.

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These designs have eye-catching embroidery consisting of dabka, tilla, kora etc and are also decorated with different types of beads, sequins, mirrors, pearls, shells, brass nails, bells as well as gota, ribbons, mukesh and velvet which accentuate their beauty, he added.

A 20 year old Sana Javed commented that Khussas truly symbolize our cultural diversity and ethnicity and they are timeless classic footwear that have always been part of our fashion scene, and with their present status will continue to be so.

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Another 17 year old girl along with her mother said the most demanded Khussa of leather made and to give it a casual look that can be worn with jeans or traditional subcontinent attire. The traditional khussa and Kolhapuri chappal are an all-time favourite for many ladies, said a shopkeeper, adding, no matter of what age they are they simply love to wear them.

Keeping in mind the scorching summer season in the country, college going girls and working ladies find it difficult to step out from their home in a high heels so, Kolhapuri chapels and flat-thong sandals or khussas are the most in demand because of their comfort ability factor and affordable pricing, said a Eid buyer Misbah Shamim.

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Another girl Iqra Aziz said the traditional khussas can be worn both in office and outside and are elegant, fashionable choices.

For many women think khussas make great footwear for the summer, said Zobia Sheikh, adds, they look funky and fresh with jeans and you can pull them off with eastern wear for a semi-formal look at any time of the day.

Khussas are girls' favourite and girls go crazy for such footwear in summer, said a khussa house owner of the shop. Such shoes are never out of fashion and will never be in even in the long run. So despite getting branded shoes, sandals or heels for the summers make this traditional and vintage footwear your style statement, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2019.