By Radhika Bhirani. Delhi, India, 06:32 PM IST

Celebrities like Raveena Tandon and Priyanka Vadra dived into the past to pull out heirloom saris for their weddings. But ever heard about old saris being turned into shoes?

It does sound bizarre. But with Swati Mehrotra, a customised shoe designer, providing the facility in town, it is very much possible.

'Get me an old sari or a car's tyre and I would make a shoe of your choice. The tyre can be used as the sole. It is just about how creative my customers want me to be,' Mehrotra told IANS.

Mehrotra, who has also made shoes for well-known designer J.J. Valaya, designs her shoes under label SWATI MODO and opened her first retail outlet in the capital Wednesday.

'My label is all about customisation. I make all sorts of shoes, depending upon my mood. Whatever clicks my mind, I make it. But I am open to what my customer's want,' she said

'Basically, I am not restricted to making my shoes according to any trend. I like peep-toes right now, maybe the next time I will make something else,' said Mehrotra, who underwent a professional course in shoe designing.

She caters for both men and women and all her shoes are handmade by her in her workshop in Delhi's suburb Ghaziabad.

She also has a growing clientele in Britain and the US.

She said: 'My foreign clients keep telling me that they consider India is the best in the art of making shoes.'

Mehrotra sells her customised range of shoes, starting at Rs.3500 under her sub-brand Seren and she plans to change her display every one-and-a-half month to offer a sense of uniqueness to her clients.

Besides customisation, she also indulges in other shoe-related aspects.

'I have started a shoe laundry where people can get their old and favourite pair of shoes that may be in a dirty or tattered state, cleaned and revamped. This is a known concept in Mumbai, but very new to Delhi,' she explained.

Mehrotra is also open to redesigning people's shoes.

'I had a male client who asked me to add a five-inch heel to his shoe since he was shorter than his girlfriend. So, I also do such stuff.'

She is planning to expand her business by soon opening another outlet in the capital and by diversifying into belts and bags.

By Radhika Bhirani (Staff Writer, © IANS)