F-17 Thunder, Titanic, 7610 Nokia - these are Peshawari sandals

PESHAWAR - Peshawari sandals, which are hugely popular in Pakistan and exported across the world including to India, are now being named after 7610 Nokia - a mobile phone model, Titanic - the ship that sank, and F-17 Thunder - a fighter jet.

The sandals made in this city are fashionable and the youth have begin to wear them, particularly the fine suede pieces, with jeans.

The word Peshawar is also said to be an interpretation of `Pesha Warr’ - city of skilled people.

Jahangirpura Bazaar in this northwestern city has been the place where Peshawari chappal is being made for over 70 years.

“Decades long expertise in the making of Peshawari chappal attained for this product worldwide fame as the footwear is exported to South Africa, the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia France, India, Afghanistan and Russia,” the News International quoted Syed Hassan Ali alias Agha Jee, president of the Bazaars union, as saying.

He said that some of the latest pairs have names like 7610 Nokia, Titanic and F-17 Thunder.

Hassan pointed out that that the designers drew their inspiration from the items they wanted to copy - like the attractive cell phone model 7610 or the sleek F-17 Thunder fighter jet.

The chappal called 7610 has a variation known as 7610 triple gear and it is very popular with youth.

Explaining the term ‘triple gear’, Hassan said: “When a pair was sewn thrice it was termed triple gear, which made it a very well sewn and durable among all the pieces.”

The Charsaada Cut is a jet-black piece from a two-fold covering while the mountain style resembles mountain like curves over its upper parts.

The sinking of the Titanic in 1912 on its maiden trans-Atlantic voyage is also an inspiration with the ship model being copies by the sandal makers.

Each Peshawari sandal passes through six stages of skilled hands to become a finished product, Hassan said.

There are today 400-500 designs for Peshawari chappals.