Peshawari Chappals in Street Style Fashion

Peshawari Chappals have left a permanent mark on today’s global fashion market. Who would have known that these leather sandals, originated from Peshawar, Pakistan, would have drawn the attention of some of the biggest fashion brands in the world. 

The Northern areas of Pakistan are a rocky-mountainous region that require shoes with strong and long-lasting soles. Thus, the Peshawari Chappal was created. But now, the footwear is no longer confined to a leather upper and tyre sole but comes in many different styles and materials.

Since our lives now revolve around screens and virtual reality, access to every kind of information has come down to the single tap of a finger. Such advancements result in rapid innovations in all fields of life, including in the field of design.

With the increased exposure the Peshawari Chappal has received, better ways are being sought to make the footwear more relevant to the changing times. Influencers and designers from all around the world have tried their own take on the chappal, making it more compatible with today’s fast-paced world. 

Robert Sandal:

One of the first versions of the Peshawari Chappal that caught the eye of the global market was created by the English designer, Sir Paul Smith, in 2014. Sticking to the traditional tyre sole, the “Robert Sandal” came with a pink trimming and a black upper with double-stitched edges. 

Markhor Chappal:

In 2018, Markhor entered the market with their Markhor Chappals. Fusing the centuries-old craftsmanship of local artisans from the subcontinent with modern design, these sneaker style chappals were their take on giving the traditional footwear a contemporary touch. With the tyre sole replaced by a rubber sole and a ribbon added to the tongue, their version was made relevant to today’s lifestyle and utilitarian for everyday use, unlike the heavyweight tyre sole style.

Imran Chappal:

In 2018, well-known designer Christian Louboutin visited his friend Imran Qureshi in Pakistan. He was highly influenced by the culture and rich heritage of the subcontinent, especially the city of Lahore. As a shoe designer, he took a keen interest in the Peshawari Chappal. Calling his pair the “Imran Chappal” (named after his artist friend), Louboutin took the world by surprise with his take on the shoe.

Hawa Sandal:

In late 2019, Markhor entered the market yet again with a one-of-a-kind gender neutral Peshawari Chappal that took the world by storm. In their collaboration with New York based multi-disciplinary artist, Saks Afridi, they created a winged sneaker style sandal called the Hawa Sandal. These Sandals are a great example of how meticulous craftsmanship and modern narratives can be merged to create something truly remarkable!

Crossover Sandal:

For their Spring/Summer 2020 collection, Acne Studios launched a version of the Peshawari Chappal and experimented and innovated a lot in terms of material, creating a very modern Chappal that can be paired with almost any kind of contemporary clothing.

Just like the influencers mentioned above, many others have worked in giving this traditional footwear from Pakistan a modern twist, creating a global market that consists solely of Peshawari Chappals. As a footwear and accessories brand based in Pakistan, we feel very proud to be able to see footwear from our country gaining such wonderful recognition and hope to see more of Pakistani tradition in the global fashion market.