India’s largest open footwear category has no premium homegrown specialist. Venii is betting that’s about to change.
BENGALURU: Bengaluru-based Venii has launched its debut range of all-leather open footwear, entering a rapidly evolving Indian footwear market with a focus on premium design, comfort and craftsmanship. Made in India using full-grain Argentinian leather uppers, an all-leather sole and an embedded anti-skid rubber insert. The collection comes in a single signature tan colourway chosen to move easily between Indian and western outfits.
The launch comes at a time when India’s footwear market is witnessing strong growth, valued at approximately USD 20.67 billion in 2025 and projected to reach USD 47.53 billion by 2034, according to IMARC Group. Premium footwear already accounts for 54% of the market and is growing at an estimated 10.2% annually, signalling a growing opportunity for brands that combine quality, design and craftsmanship with the everyday versatility of open footwear.
India is the world’s largest open-footwear market, yet the category has never had a premium, homegrown offering built specifically for it. Venii’s founder points to this as the gap the brand exists to close – as more customers move toward better-made products, more considered experiences, and greater everyday comfort, Venii is positioning itself as the brand built to meet that shift rather than retrofit into it.
A recurring theme behind the brand’s design process: customers, and women in particular, often find it difficult to find flat, open footwear that is both attractive and comfortable. Many international brands lean toward heels or elevated silhouettes, while many Indian women prefer flats – a gap that Venii’s design team set out to address with a subtler, more versatile product. Rather than styling for party wear alone, the range is designed to be understated enough to complement a look at a nice restaurant or evening out, while remaining comfortable enough for all-day wear.
The Venii name is derived from “Braid,” a reference to the artisanal leather-braiding technique that forms the brand’s visual signature. The brand describes it as a tribute to the skill of the artisans who make Kolhapuri chappals in Karnataka and Maharashtra – the same braid that gives the traditional footwear its distinct character is the one Venii has carried into its own collections.
The craft itself is exacting: leather is cut into fine strips, moistened, and then braided by hand -work traditionally done by women artisans, whose dexterity and focus give each braid its consistent quality and shape. Venii’s braids are woven by hand into the brand’s full-grain Argentinian leather uppers, embellishing the surface in a technique long used by global luxury and premium brands to give footwear and accessories a distinct, handcrafted character.
“Open footwear is something every Indian wears almost every day, yet the country has never really had a homegrown brand built specifically around it at a premium level. That’s the gap we built Venii to fill – leather-first, comfortable enough for all-day wear, and designed to move between Indian and western wardrobes without feeling out of place in either,” said Unnati Sinha, Founder and CEO of Venii.
The range is available now at veniiworld.com and has recently been added to Myntra. The brand plans to expand its marketplace and retail presence over the coming year. Prices for the launch range run from approximately Rs 4,595 to ₹5,295 across men’s and women’s styles.
About VENII
Venii is a premium, all-leather open-footwear brand built around an artisanal braid signature, with a mission to define and own India’s premium open-footwear category. Co-created with Renaissance Craft Venture Builder.
About Unnati Sinha
Unnati Sinha is the Founder & CEO of VENII, a premium all-leather, open footwear brand that blends India’s rich artisanal heritage with contemporary design and global functional standards. Prior to founding VENII, Unnati has accomplished corporate career spanning marketing, business development, and general management across leading multinational organizations, including Colgate-Palmolive, Novartis, Tata Sky (now Tata Play), and United Spirits (Diageo). His experience across India, Malaysia, and the United States provided deep exposure to global consumer markets, strategic brand building, and business leadership.
