From Runways to Reflection: Anjali Phougat's 500-Pair Shoe Collection Is a Story of Craft, Not Consumption

Ask most people what a 500-pair shoe collection says about someone, and "luxury obsession" is probably the first guess. Ask Anjali Phougat, and you'll get a very different answer.

The award-winning fashion designer - known for weaving South Asian heritage into contemporary silhouettes on runways from Cannes to Paris Fashion Week - has spent decades collecting shoes not as trophies, but as souvenirs of a life lived across continents. "My fascination with shoes began in childhood," she says. "Even before I became a fashion designer, I was captivated by colors, silhouettes and craftsmanship."

That early fascination turned into a quiet ritual once her career took off. Every city she worked in - Paris, Milan, London, New York - left her with a new pair to bring home. Over time, those souvenirs became something closer to a personal archive. She's since lost count of the exact number, but somewhere north of 500 pairs, each one tagged to a specific memory. "Every pair reminds me of a city, a fashion week, a milestone or a beautiful experience somewhere in the world," she says.

Phougat's taste runs toward the artisanal rather than the merely branded. While she has admiration for the usual roster of luxury houses - Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Dior, Prada, Saint Laurent, Gucci, Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Valentino - her heart belongs to Salvatore Ferragamo. "My favourite Ferragamo runway pieces each represent a different chapter of my life," she explains. "They're more than shoes - they're memories."

Her hunting ground isn't limited to flagship stores, either. Some of her most cherished pairs have come from small, out-of-the-way artisan workshops she's stumbled onto while traveling - the kind of finds that don't come with a marketing budget, just genuine craft behind them.

The collection itself lives in a dedicated closet - bigger, notably, than her clothing storage - where every pair sits in its original box with a photo taped outside for quick identification. It's not just about aesthetics; it's upkeep with intention. "Even shoes I've owned for nearly 20 years remain in excellent condition because I believe quality deserves proper care," she says. "Organization is important to me, but so is sustainability. I don't believe in buying something beautiful only to discard it."

That sustainability instinct shows up in how she manages the collection year to year. Rather than let pairs sit unworn indefinitely, she restores, redesigns, and donates many of them annually. "Every year, I donate many pairs that are still in beautiful condition so they can begin a new journey with someone else," she says. "Sustainability means respecting the artistry behind every creation and extending its life instead of contributing to waste."

What's perhaps most striking is how Phougat's relationship with the collection has shifted over time. What began as a design obsession has, by her own account, turned into something closer to a personal museum - and, more recently, a lesson in detachment. "Through meditation, spiritual practice and inner transformation, I've realised that possessions don't create lasting happiness," she reflects. "I still appreciate beauty, but I'm no longer attached to owning it. If every pair disappeared tomorrow, my peace would remain the same."

She pushes back on the assumption that shoe collecting is inherently about excess. "People often assume it's about shopping or luxury. For me, it's about appreciating design, culture, craftsmanship and creativity," she says. "Shoes are tiny architectural masterpieces. Every collection tells a story about art, history and human imagination."

These days, Phougat says she finds the same joy in a sunset or a quiet moment of stillness that she once found in tracking down the perfect pair. "Beauty is everywhere when you're fully present," she says — "and that is the richest collection anyone can have."