You can now strike off a visit to Tod’s from your to-do list when you travel abroad. Tod’s, the Italian luxury brand, has opened its first boutique in India at the UB City Mall in Bangalore and will follow with one each in Mumbai and New Delhi.
Comfort staple: The ballerinas
The lacquered wood and leather boutique is quite simple. The women’s section is larger than the men’s, but you won’t find ready-to-wear (mainly, their beautifully cut jackets). Yet, the space is a treat for anybody who loves leather.
Tod’s started out with the moccasin in 1978, which the company calls Gomminis. Classic Gomminis (Rs20,000-22,000) come in coloured calf leather and are an iconic buy for lovers of comfortable shoes. The rubber bullets on the sole and back of the shoe are as much a design element as a gripping device. But if functional shoes (however vivid) aren’t your thing, then ballerinas (Rs22,000-26,000) certainly must be. It’s an entire range: all leather, leather with non-leather embellishments, pointed or rounded toes. A pair won’t occupy more space than a sunglass case in your bag.
Fit for royalty: The D Bag
After examining them, our eyes darted around in search of the D Bag, Lady Diana’s favourite. The simple but stylish bag, open at the top, makes a great statement and has enough storage space. But if utility is your first requirement, take a look at the T Bag, which has a number of pouches.
We also liked the Goa Messenger shoulder bags, made with soft leather and plaited leather handles. The folds in the design allow it to take different shapes. The bags are priced between Rs1.02 lakh and Rs1.1 lakh.
The men’s section has bags (leather and nylon), shoes, belts and wallets. The nylon Pashmy laptop bags (Rs51,000 up) are waterproof, have multiple compartments for files and can be slung across the shoulder.
Footwear for men (Rs20,000 up) includes coloured Gomminis and formal leather black and tan shoes. Leather sports wear? Tod’s has them—take a look at the white leather sports pair.