Monrow's Veena Ashiya believes your shoes should do the talking
Footwear must be fun, fabulous and fashionable. Veena Ashiya, Founder of Monrow Shoes wants you to bring back those edgy boots and metallic sneakers...
Whether it is a pair of stiletto ankle boots, pointed toe pumps, scarlet slingbacks or strappy shoes, the beauty of good footwear lies in its comfort quotient. You could be wearing the loveliest pair of shoes, decorated with teardrop crystals, woven out of fine satin or handcrafted with buffed leather, but if it is wreaking havoc on your feet, it is impossible to enjoy the experience.
Veena Ashiya, founder of the startup, Monrow Shoes, who has loved fashion all her life says, “The combination of comfort and fashion was missing in the market. I wanted to create shoes in which women could dance and run around and feel liberated all day.”
Veena Ashiya
Step up to trendy style
Your choice of footwear says more about you than clothes or any other accessory. “They say 'good shoes take you to good places',” she explains. “Shoes are our companions to explore things and places all our lives. This is one accessory that serves the role of both function and style.”
Among the important shoe style trends this season, tiny kitten heels are making a huge comeback. Lilac as a colour will be the new black this winter. For men, athleisure as a trend is a blessing. Sporty soles with formal styling is a dream shoe for the office.
A woman must own at least five pairs of shoes. “You would need a pair of comfortable heels, simply because heels are an instant confidence boost, a pair of foldable ballerinas as you can easily carry them in your bag and classy simple V-trap flats. A pair of funky metallic sneakers is a must and finally, what's not to love about a pair of edgy boots?” she says.
Sole obsession
A recurring mistake that women and men make while choosing shoes is compromising on either comfort or style. “It is like choosing a date for yourself and you think - should I choose between intelligent or good looking. But I would say, why not both?”
Comfort and style must go hand-in-hand
While buying a shoe, you must remember that comfort is first but don't compromise on style either. “Always go shoe shopping in the afternoon since our feet expand around that time and it's best to pick shoes then. Buy shoes in colours of clothes you mostly wear, if you are buying basics so that you can see if it would match your core wardrobe. If you are creating a look - carry the outfit for which you are looking to buy shoes,” she says.
Veena studied in NIFT in Bengaluru before joining the Tommy Hilfiger team in 2008. She moved to New York the following year to work with Versace. Later, she returned to India and launched Monrow.
Did you know that India is the second largest producer of shoes in the world? “Every fifth shoe you see in the world is made in India. I think post-Independence, exports were the primary focus and hence we excelled in it. So, the core expertise of making a great shoe is already there in India. And now it's about time we created our own Jimmy Choos in India,” she says.
