Animal, Hide

A "vegetarian" shoe might sound like it's meant for hippies only, but who says that your office-going, so-serious feet don't deserve some guilt-free love as well? Enter Senso, a new brand of nicely-finished faux leather Oxfords that are made without harming any animals and come equipped with anti-sweat insoles which prevent your feet from smelling funny. 

Conceptualized by siblings Nilesh and Ritu who recently moved to Mumbai from the Middle East and hail from a family of footwear professionals, Senso aims to fill a gap in the footwear market. “Good formal shoes for men are only available in leather,” says Nilesh. “And the non-leather options that are available are of bad quality and don't last long.” 

A Safe Lace

The shoes – which come in several styles but only black color (we like Classic Oxford Corporate Ladder and Smooth Classic Buckle Shoes) —are made from polyurethene, a material that can be easily wiped clean and washed with water. “But they'll take about four to five hours to dry completely,” explains Nilesh. 

Senso Veg plans to open its first Mumbai shoe-room in a couple of weeks, and also retail out of the big malls. In the mean time, you can order them over the phone and have them shipped over. The hippies would be proud. 

Getting there: Visit sensoveg.com, to order call 25610411/22/33, free delivery anywhere in the country, cash on delivery option available (Rs 50 extra charge).