How Fizzy Goblet reached its covetable status with designer collaborations and craft-first vision 

Most brand to come out of India with a global appeal thrive on indigenous craftsmanship and the ideology to contemporise it. The Pearl Academy of Fashion graduate, Laksheeta Govil saw the opportunity in a humble pair of juttis, or “the original ballerina shoe of the world” as she calls it. Her journey to launching her own label was not out of the ordinary. Govil began hand painting her own footwear in college, went on to work with Lecoanet Hemant and learnt the power of detailing in design. It was during her stint with Puma; where working with a global footwear brand gave her the confidence to tread on a design path of her own. Now, with just two years of retail presence in stores, Govil’s instantly recognisable—and not to mention celebrity-favourite—designs are worn all over the country. As Fizzy Goblet opens doors to its third retail store in Bengaluru today, following outposts in Mumbai and Delhi, we get in conversation with the founder about her instrumental collaborations, dressing Bollywood’s top names and growing community of craftspeople under the label.

From Kolhapuris to gladiators: innovation in style

After the first steps of product development, Govil focused on modernising the jutti silhouette and expanding its utility beyond just traditional wear. “Over time we added Kolhapuris, block heels, sliders, gladiators, loafers and even sneakers— keeping the basic essence of hand embroidery to make designs for different occasions beyond just Indian traditional functions,” she says. One of her favourites is the ‘Macchiato Kolha’, which also won the favour of Kiara Advani. With a tan base, the vibrant bird print and hand embroidered finishes add a unique contrast to the rawness of leather and the delicacy of raw silk with the elegance of pearl work. “Each pair takes a minimum of 60 hours to make and it’s truly art on your feet,” she explains.

The power of collaboration

From Payal Singhal to Rahul Mishra and Amrapali, some of Fizzy Goblet’s most successful designs come from its collaborations with couture labels. “For me, these associations are very personal and begin by truly loving the work of each of the designers.” Rahul Mishra’s signature 3D floral embroidery, Payal Singhal’s resortwear edge and a collection of customisable ‘charm juttis’ with Tribe by Amrapali have lent to the label’s versatile portfolio. “Each collaboration is strategically placed to bring something new and unique for our customers as well as help us push design boundaries,” Govil adds, revealing that a new holiday line is in works.

Dressing Bollywood’s top names

“A truly special moment was doing the wedding favours for Sonam Kapoor Ahuja. We had designed an ivory and gold shoe called ‘Aisha’, which was in line with the theme of her wedding and was gifted to her closest guests,” she shares. That’s not all—both Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas wore metallic juttis for their wedding festivities, while most of Kajal Aggarwal’s wedding looks were complete with a pair of embroidered juttis. With Anushka Sharma, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan as loyal patrons of the brand, the label’s visibility has been instrumental in its meteoric success. “But focusing on customer satisfaction and building brand loyalty has been core to us,” says Govil, indicating the brand’s highly engaged Instagram audience of 430,000-plus and core community of online users.

Giving back to its makers

The new Bengaluru retail outlet launches with an ‘artisan corner’ which spotlights the master craftspeople who embroider and craft these one-of-a-kind pieces. A karigar will embroider pieces live, allowing patrons a chance to customise their pieces while witnessing one part of the 60-hour process that goes into making each pair by hand. “The vision was to create a global brand from India by building with communities of artisans and customers. A brand that can truly represent modern India,” shares Govil.

“Juttis are traditionally made in Punjab and typically in each village, each household would be involved in making the shoes,” she points out. “It’s a quintessential family business and typically where three-to-four members would be involved, including women. This is their community where they have learnt from their fathers and their fathers before them. It’s important for us to respect that and not to displace them to the cities. We are proud to do our bit to keep the art alive—we still work with the same karigars and support their growth so much that they have now given employment to over 200 people under them.”

Early in the year as the pandemic struck, the label launched an initiative with NGO Nanhi Kali where every purchase of a limited-edition gift box secured an education opportunity for a girl for an entire year,  along with creating over 200 safety kits. After living a year like this, Govil is hopeful. “When people are once again excited to travel, return to work from the office, go out, celebrate weddings, there will be Fizzy Goblets waiting to be worn for every occasion. The only question is will it be a slider, Kolhapuris, heels, sneaker, loafers or the classic jutti!”

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