My name is Pallavi and I’m the founder of Paidal. Paidal has emerged from my personal journey with minimalist footwear. My family has been involved in the shoe trade for the last 30 years. As a child I had the privilege to try on beautiful shoes that were being shipped all across the world. The shoes always had beautiful form but something felt wrong with the function.

An ankle injury in my early 20’s became the start of my journey with barefoot shoes. I couldn’t run pain free even after a few months of being treated and being prescribed supportive & cushioned shoes. I decided to try five finger shoes and I haven’t looked back since. Barefoot shoes have become an essential part of my lifestyle. It has gone much further than getting me back to running pain free, I feel a deeper connection with how my body moves through the world. I feel more fluid and efficient. Movement feels smooth and easy.

My experience of being barefoot has deepened my connection to, my country, India. That is why I wanted Paidal to be rooted in India and made by craftspeople in India. We have a long and rich history of wonderful craftsmanship. Some of it is seen in old temples and palaces, but a lot of it is wearable art found in everyday lived experiences. Paidal draws on the rich cultural history and infuses it into shoes that work for the modern world.

At Paidal, we are making beautiful barefoot shoes that you can wear anywhere. In doing so, we are trying to bridge a few gaps. One of those is for people already wearing barefoot shoes and looking to expand their closet beyond performance footwear. The other is for people who have never tried barefoot shoes or haven’t found the right gateway to them. Whichever bucket you fall in, we want to make sure that your foot health and overall well-being are not at odds with wearing shoes that look good. 

Footwear is undergoing a fundamental change, more and more people are experiencing the benefits of minimalist footwear. Having experienced drastic changes myself – the only thing I can say is – try it for yourself.

I hope you enjoy your Paidals as much as we have enjoyed making them for you.

Pallavi