The roots of this footwear stretch back generations, tied closely to the artisan traditions of the hill and tribal regions of what is now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and parts of northern Punjab. Early versions were built for practicality first: durable leather uppers and thick soles – traditionally cut from old truck tyres – designed to survive rocky, mountainous terrain far better than soft leather sandals ever could.

Over time, as the design moved along trade routes into Peshawar’s urban centres, local craftsmen began refining it with softer leathers, sharper stitching, and more polished finishing. This is largely how the shoe came to be known internationally as the “Peshawari chappal” – named after the city that became one of its most important production and trading hubs, even though nearby regions like Kohat, Charsadda, and Chakwal each developed their own signature styles.

The shoe’s cultural weight grew alongside its craftsmanship. It became closely associated with Pashtun identity and everyday menswear across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, before spreading nationally as a staple for weddings, Eid, and formal gatherings across Pakistan. Its popularity in mainstream fashion got a further boost in the 1990s, when public figures began pairing it casually with jeans rather than only traditional dress – a styling shift that helped introduce Peshawari shoes to a much younger, style-conscious audience.

The design’s global recognition reached a notable milestone in 2014, when a major international designer released a strikingly similar sandal at a steep price point, sparking a widely covered conversation about cultural origin and craftsmanship recognition. (You can read the fuller documented history on Wikipedia’s Peshawari chappal entry.) For local artisans, it was a reminder of how distinctive – and exportable – this craft really is