Mangalore

9th January 1978

Bachelor of Fine Arts & Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

2004

Payal’s father wanted her to pursue a career in business before foraying into fashion, so she pursued a degree in the field. Once done, she got a job at Reuters and continued there for 2.5 years. She enrolled herself into F.I.T., New York to pursue accessory design, as she didn’t want to study Fashion Design and wanted something more specialised & specific. She also found it difficult to get shoes that she actually liked, and that is where the idea of launching her own footwear label came into the picture. In 2014, she founded Veruschka by Payal Kothari, inspired by her travels.

The label strives to bring the world to your feet, literally! All shoes are created with the sentiment of the designs being fashionable yet functional. Known for well-crafted heels that are comfortable and original in style and design, it is the top-picked choice for ramp shows in India. Veruschka even customises shoes for women, and believes that no two people are the same. In the studio, the designer works with them to understand their preferences and then craft shoes for them for various occasions. Every collection/shoe is infused with a uniqueness of the country/city that designer Payal Kothari visits; its architecture, design values, and sensibilities. Meticulously hand-draped by local artisans and finished to perfection, the label’s shoe making skills are backed by years of expertise, and it uses only the best materials that are sourced locally.

The Tribal Collection

Kajol Devgan, Diana Penty, Sunny Leone, Hema Malini, Amy Jackson, Pooja Hegde, Sonakshi Sinha, Lisa Ray, Aahana Kumra, Tanisha Mukerjee, Ranveer Singh, Arjun Rampal, Daniel Weber and more

Lakme Fashion Week: Manish Malhotra, Vikram Phadnis, Anita Dongre, Pria K Puri, Nikasha, Rina Dhaka, Payal Singhal, Namrata Joshipura & James Ferreira. London Fashion Week: Delna Poonawalla

Outlook Business, Outstanding Women-Entrepreneur of the Year 2016

“Not for any person but want to design shoes for the brand Aquazzura,” says Payal.