Khussa is style of Punjabi handcrafted footwear from Punjab, Pakistan. Khussa are made by hand by artisans mostly using vegetable-tanned leather. The uppers are made of one piece of leather or textile embroidered and embellished with brass nails, cowry shells, mirrors, bells, ribbons, velvet, sequins and beads. Hundreds of designs are available in a multitude of the most vibrant colors. The uppers are sewn to the sole with cotton thread for strength and adornment. The curled toe is usually styled in menswear, but here I mixed the style of a curled toe with the bright, traditional embellishment of ladies wear.
These shoes are not very hardy, but some people find them very comfortable and inexpensive. There is no difference between the right and left foot, so that is why they are worn interchangeably. Also, there are no exact sizes, therefore one would have to try on and see which fits.
I dont find them comfortable at all. But this shoe cake was fun to make. I think I went a bit overboard with the embellishments but we can never have too much embroidery on a khussa. The cake was a carrot walnut cake with cream cheese filling.
Khussas look like Aladdin shoes, but they predominantly symbolize Pakistani culture; they are timeless classic footwear that have always been part of the fashion scene. Made in their original form they are somewhat like a piece of history to be worn every day.
