Anupam Chappals, Cafe Leopold lane, Colaba Causeway Mehmood Merchant knows his maal is good. Which is why if you tell him you are from press and wish to chat, he'll probably brush your interest off with a story of when British Vogue got in touch with him. Regular Joes, looking for not a story but a sturdy, quirky Kolhapuri, have his attention. Anupam stocks the traditional mahogany fair with red pompom, but was also one of the first to introduce the sleeker-soled, softer-upper-in-crazy-colours version. They source their wares from a town outside of Kolhapur, which means you are slipping your feet into authentic stuff. We've worn their chappals for years, and it's almost always the greed to try a new colour rather than wear and tear that's led us to discard a pair.