Nauvab

If your designs could speak, what would they say?

I don’t think our designs would be big on talking. They would let their aesthetics speak. 

What are the signature elements in your designs?

We at Nauvab have tried mostly to work and upgrade two of India's most favorite silhouettes, Namely the Nagra and the Peshauri. All our styles are made on our signature Square toe Last, which is mostly seen on European shoes. Along with that, Our Leather Soles have a Signature Bottom Design with Rubber Inserts cut from CNC machines. 

Which collection are you most proud of, and why?

 I am extremely proud of our Bagh collection as this design is a totally original design from Nauvab, with a beautiful low-cut quarter and tassels in the front. It gives a very complete look to the piece as you can style it with Ethnic as well as Western looks. Something like this is definitely not available anywhere else.

Where do you find inspiration for your designs?

Our designs are heavily inspired by the Indian old-money aesthetic. We take inspiration from Colonial Era Royalt fashion. I also believe Travelling has played an important role in our vision and thought as we constantly try and create pieces that are both modern and traditional.

Which designer in the world inspires you?

More than Designers I am inspired by Shoemakers and the Craft of shoemaking therefore If I had to name a few it would be Yohei Fukuda, Gaziano Girling, and the house of Santoni.

Share a memorable "aha" moment from your design career.

It has to be before I started Nauvab and the reason why I started Nauvab was when my elder brother was getting married. I had just come back from Agra to Delhi to start my own manufacturing facility when during my shoe-shopping trip I realised that ethnic footwear brands in India were way too expensive for the quality they were providing. These brands lacked basic shoe-making skills and were very uncomfortable and still priced at over 10,000 INR. Even though I made shoes myself I was forced to spend over 45,000 INR on 4 pairs of shoes. That is when I saw a huge gap in the industry and felt bad for customers like me who felt cheated after the purchase. This would definitely be my aha moment when I felt that it was my responsibility as a shoemaker to start a brand in this category.