Home / Bazaar / Punjab / Khussa
To wear
Embroidered leather slippers
Pointed leather slip-ons, embroidered with gold thread.
$25–70
Find handmade khussas on Etsy ↗If you buy through this link we may earn a small commission. It never changes your price.
The story
A khussa is a flat, closed-back slip-on with a pointed toe that turns up slightly at the tip. The front is covered in embroidery, often in tilla, a gold or silver metallic thread, with beads and coloured stitching.
They are the shoe of Punjabi weddings, but people wear plain versions every day in summer.
In pictures
Photos coming soon. Each frame below says what it will show.
History
Khussas are associated with the Mughal court and have been made in Punjab for centuries. Lahore’s old city still has lanes of cobblers where you can watch them being cut and stitched.
How it’s made
Uppers and soles are cut by hand from leather.
The vamp is embroidered with tilla, threads and beads.
The upper is hand-stitched to a flat, layered leather sole.
The toe is shaped and the shoe is finished and polished.
Kinds
Gold or silver thread embroidery. For weddings.
Everyday wear, often natural tan.
Colourful thread work in the Multan style.
In Pakistan
Grooms wear them with sherwanis, brides with lehngas, and everyone with a kurta in summer.
Buy it well
| Genuine | Likely a copy |
|---|---|
| Leather sole and lining | Rubber sole, synthetic lining |
| Hand embroidery with small variations | Machine embroidery, perfectly regular |
Where to buy
We may earn a small commission. Your price is the same.
Find handmade khussas on Etsy ↗Typical price: $25–70, before shipping. Read the “Buy it well” checks above before you order, and ask the seller for photos of the exact piece.
Questions
Traditionally both shoes were cut the same and shaped to your feet with wear. Many modern pairs are cut left and right.
Stiff for the first week, then very comfortable.
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