Comfort, not style, is the top priority for young Indians buying footwear for the festive season, according to a new consumer study by PulseAI Research commissioned by Paragon Footwear.
The study, titled ‘The Sole Story of Festive India,’ surveyed 2,000 shoppers online about their purchase intent, preferences, spending and shopping habits. It found that 51.7% of respondents named comfort as a key consideration, ahead of style, discounts and brand reputation. Comfort was also the most influential factor in the final purchase decision, cited by 48.1%.
Comfort grows with age
The preference for comfort strengthens among older respondents. Among shoppers aged 26–30, 54.6% prioritise comfort and 27.9% look for durability. This group is also 1.3 times more likely than 18–21-year-olds to say they will definitely buy festive footwear.
Intent to shop is high overall, with nearly 9 in 10 high-intent footwear shoppers planning to take part in the wider festive season. Yet only 46.2% include footwear among the categories they are likely to buy, suggesting it must compete with other categories for festive spending.
Ethnic footwear leads, with a city divide
Ethnic footwear is the most popular festive choice at 30.3%, followed by heels and wedges at 25.1% and sandals at 15.8%. Among trend-led shoppers, preference for ethnic styles rises to 38%, which the study reads as a sign that traditional silhouettes are increasingly seen as contemporary fashion rather than occasion-only wear.
City size makes a notable difference. Shoppers in metros are 1.8 times more likely than those in Tier 3 cities to pick ethnic footwear, at 34.5% versus 19.2%. Sneakers show the opposite trend, rising from 11% in metros to 21.5% in Tier 3 markets.
Spending stays cautious
Despite the strong intent, budgets remain modest. About 58.1% of shoppers, nearly 3 in 5, plan to spend less than Rs 2,000, with the Rs 1,000–2,000 band drawing the largest share. Tier 3 shoppers are 1.7 times more likely than metro shoppers to spend under Rs 1,000.
Bigger spenders want assurance on value. Among those aged 26–30, 20.5% plan to spend between Rs 3,000 and Rs 5,000, while 32.3% say rising prices significantly shape their festive shopping plans. The study suggests shoppers are weighing price against comfort, quality, durability and whether a product can be worn beyond the festive occasion.
Online and offline blur
Discounts remain a draw, with 31.9% citing deals and offers as their main reason for festive shopping. But experience matters more when choosing where to buy: 33.5% pick a channel based on overall experience, compared with 25.9% who prioritise better discounts.
Some 57.6% of respondents expect online and offline channels to play an equal role in their festive footwear purchases. Metro shoppers are more inclined to move between both formats, while Tier 3 consumers are 1.3 times more likely than metro shoppers to shop exclusively online, underscoring e-commerce’s role in widening access beyond big cities.
Shopping for self
Festive shopping is also becoming more personal. While 39.1% of consumers shop equally for themselves and others, 37.7% say they shop mainly for themselves. Only 23.1% prioritise purchases for family and friends, pointing to self-expression alongside gifting.
Sachin Joseph, Executive Vice President – Marketing & IT at Paragon Footwear, said, “Festive footwear has always been closely connected to tradition and celebration, but the way consumers approach these occasions is evolving. Today, shoppers want footwear that complements their festive look while also offering comfort, quality and value. These findings reinforce the importance of understanding how consumers are balancing traditional preferences with styles that feel relevant to their individual needs.”
Siddhartha Nangia, Co-Founder of Smytten & PulseAI Research, said, “What I found interesting through this research is how clearly we were able to decode that the festive shopper is asking brands to do more than before. They still want something that feels right for the occasion, but they are not willing to compromise on comfort, value or convenience to get it. Even tradition is being consumed differently. We see Metro shoppers leaning strongly into ethnic footwear, while smaller cities are showing greater openness to sneakers and online shopping. To me, that is a reminder that the Indian consumer cannot be put into neat boxes anymore. As businesses, the moment we start designing for assumptions instead of actual behaviour, we start losing relevance.”
Overall, the study suggests the opportunity for the category lies in festive footwear that pairs occasion-led style with everyday utility, delivering comfort, cultural relevance and value beyond the celebration itself.
The survey was conducted online among 2,000 shoppers across multiple age groups, genders and city tiers. Paragon Footwear, founded in 1975, sells shoes, sandals, flip-flops and slippers through multi-brand stores online and offline, supported by 12 depots across India. PulseAI Research is a consumer-intelligence platform with access to over 30 million shoppers.
