Mochi Shoes Brand: Who Owns It, Its History and How to Wear It
Mochi is an Indian footwear and accessories label owned by Metro Brands of Mumbai, known for festive heels, juttis and sandals. Here is its history, its range and how to size it.
In short
- Mochi is an Indian footwear and accessories label owned by Metro Brands, a Mumbai company listed on India's BSE and NSE stock exchanges.
- Metro Brands says it began selling shoes under the Mochi name in 1977 and opened its first Mochi-branded outlet in 2000.
- Mochi is best known for dressy women's footwear: embellished heels, wedges, toe-ring sandals, juttis and mojaris, plus men's loafers, formal shoes and sandals.
- For a lehenga or saree, a low block heel or wedge is the easy Mochi choice, because it copes with long hours and soft ground better than a thin kitten heel.
- Mochi sizes use the Indian and UK number scale, so a women's size 5 is roughly a US 7 and EU 37 to 38. Foot length in centimetres is the safest check.
Mochi is an Indian footwear and accessories label owned by Metro Brands, a listed company based in Mumbai. It makes shoes for men and women, and it is best known for dressy women's styles: embellished heels, wedges, toe-ring sandals and embroidered juttis worn with Indian clothes. The first Mochi-branded outlet opened in 2000.
Who owns Mochi shoes?
Metro Brands Limited owns Mochi. The company's own brand page lists it as one of its homegrown labels, beside Metro itself. So if you searched "is Mochi a brand of Metro", the answer is yes: they are sister names under one Mumbai company, with Rafique Malik named as chairman on its About page.
The company is large. A release it issued in October 2025 counted 928 stores in 206 Indian cities across all its formats as of 30 June 2025. That figure covers the whole group, not Mochi alone.
How did the Mochi brand start?
Mochi grew out of a shoe business that was already decades old. Trade profiles name Malik Tejani as the founder of Metro, and say the name came from a Mumbai cinema hall called Metro Cinema.
| Year | What happened | Who says so |
|---|---|---|
| 1955 | First Metro store opens in Mumbai | Metro Brands |
| 1977 | Sales begin under the Mochi name; the company is incorporated the same year | Metro Brands; StartupTalky |
| 2000 | First Mochi-branded outlet, on Commercial Street in Bengaluru | Metro Brands; Media Infoline |
| 2021 | Metro Brands lists on the BSE and NSE stock exchanges in December; Mochi counted at 150 outlets in 50+ cities that November | Angel One; Media Infoline |
| 2025 | A Diwali line, the Lit Collection, in jewel tones and shimmer finishes | Metro Brands release |
You may also hear Mochi described as a shop rather than a label, and both are true. It started as a name on shoes, then became a chain of outlets. A 2015 trade report still calls it "Mochi - The Shoe Shoppe". Here, we are talking about the shoes that carry the name.
What does the word mochi mean?
In Hindi and several other Indian languages, mochi is the everyday word for a cobbler or shoemaker. Say it MOH-chee. The company pages we read do not explain why it picked the name, so take the link as ours and not theirs. And no, it has nothing to do with the Japanese rice cake, which is why a search for "mochi brand" throws up ice cream too.
What is Mochi known for?
Mochi is known for footwear with some shine on it, aimed at young buyers but worn across a family. Metro Brands describes the range as covering daytime, work, evening and party wear, plus occasions such as weddings. In practice that means metallic straps, beaded and embroidered bands, and low, stable heels, along with bags that match the mood. See the wider footwear edit if you want to compare it with other labels.
Which Mochi heels work for an Indian function?
Go for a 2 inch (5 cm) block heel or a wedge with a decorated band. It gives you some height under a long hem and spreads your weight, which matters on a lawn or during a long sangeet, the music and dance night before a wedding. Several of the pairs below have a toe loop, a small ring that holds the big toe, which is a classic Indian sandal shape.
The one to buy for a wedding week
A bronze metallic sole and a wide band worked with beads and sequins in yellow, red and green. It sits on a 2 inch (5 cm) block heel with a cushioned footbed. Because the band carries so many colours, it sits happily under almost any lehenga.
- Listed for ethnic wear
- Upper is synthetic, so wipe it with a dry cloth
Festive heels and wedges
Most of these sit at 2 inches (5 cm). The gold-toned T-strap wedge is 3 inches (7.6 cm), the floral black wedge 3.5 inches (8.9 cm) and the black slingback just 1 inch (2.5 cm).
How do you wear Mochi with a lehenga or saree?
Choose the shoes first, then set the hem with them on. A lehenga is a long skirt worn with a cropped blouse and a scarf, and it should clear the floor by a finger's width in the shoes you will actually wear. A saree works the same way: drape it with the shoes on, or the pleats will drag or stop short.
| Wearing | Where | Mochi shape to reach for | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy lehenga | Banquet hall | Embellished block heel | Height for the hem, stable when you dance |
| Lehenga or sharara | Lawn or garden | Wedge or flat toe-ring sandal | A thin heel sinks into grass |
| Silk saree | Temple or ceremony | Mojari or slip-on flat | Comes off fast when you are asked to remove shoes |
| Light saree | Evening party | Kitten heel with sparkle | Slim line, shows at the pleats |
| Plain kurta set | Daytime function | Embroidered flat | The shoe does the decorating |
Our saree vs lehenga guide helps if you have not settled the outfit, and what not to wear to an Indian wedding covers the footwear slips guests make, including shoes that are hard to take off at the door. More styles sit under heels and sandals.
What are Mochi juttis and mojaris like?
A jutti is a closed, flat Indian slip-on with a decorated upper, and a mojari is its close cousin, often with a more pointed toe. People use the two words almost interchangeably. Mochi's versions lean festive, with metallic thread on the outside and a contrast lining inside, and they suit long days when you would rather not think about your feet.
The embroidered mojari
Dense gold thread over the upper, a small fan motif in red and green on the toe and a deep maroon lining you see each time you slip them on. Wear them with a kurta set, a lehenga or even straight jeans, where they lift a plain white shirt.
- Flat, so it fits a temple or gurdwara day
- Upper is synthetic, so wipe it with a dry cloth
Mojaris, mules and toe-ring flats
The embroidered mule has a low heel. The black pair has a leather upper, and the others are mostly suede or synthetic.
To compare these with other labels, browse all juttis and flats.
Does Mochi make shoes for parties and everyday wear?
Yes, and these are the pairs that earn their keep after the wedding is over. The range runs from a sparkling kitten heel for a dress to crossover wedges for a long day out. Note the heights before you click: the beige crossover wedge is 4.5 inches (11.4 cm) and the printed platform is 3.5 inches (8.9 cm), while the others stay at about 2 inches (5 cm), or 3 inches (7.6 cm) on the grey kitten heel.
Party and everyday heels
Good with a dress, a co-ord or wide trousers.
What does Mochi make for men?
Mochi's men's range covers ethnic mojaris, comfort sandals, loafers and formal lace-ups, and here leather is much more common. A kurta usually calls for a mojari or a neat sandal, and a sherwani for a closed, pointed shoe. Our kurta vs sherwani guide sets out which outfit fits which event, and the men's casual shoes page has more to compare.
Men's mojaris, sandals and leather shoes
The pointed mojari, the navy loafers and the black derbys are listed with leather uppers.
How do Mochi sizes compare with US, UK and EU?
Mochi uses the Indian number scale, which generally follows UK sizes. For women, add 2 to get a rough US size. For men, add 1. Treat the table as a guide only: measure your foot from heel to longest toe and match the centimetres, since charts disagree by up to half a size and shapes vary.
| Women's Mochi size (India/UK) | To fit foot length | US women's (rough) | EU (rough) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 22.7 cm (8.9 in) | 5 | 35 to 36 |
| 4 | 23.3 cm (9.2 in) | 6 | 36 to 37 |
| 5 | 24.0 cm (9.4 in) | 7 | 37 to 38 |
| 6 | 24.7 cm (9.7 in) | 8 | 38 to 39 |
| 7 | 25.3 cm (10.0 in) | 9 | 40 |
| 8 | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) | 10 | 41 |
| Men's Mochi size (India/UK) | To fit foot length | US men's (rough) | EU (rough) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | 25.3 cm (10.0 in) | 7 | 40 |
| 7 | 26.0 cm (10.2 in) | 8 | 41 |
| 8 | 26.7 cm (10.5 in) | 9 | 42 to 43 |
| 9 | 27.3 cm (10.7 in) | 10 | 43 to 44 |
| 10 | 28.0 cm (11.0 in) | 11 | 44 to 45 |
| 11 | 28.7 cm (11.3 in) | 12 | 45 to 46 |
Australian labels mix these systems, so readers there should go straight to centimetres. Toe-ring sandals and open slides are forgiving on length, while closed mojaris are not, so if you fall between sizes on a closed pair, go by the longer number. For clothes, our Indian size chart for women does the same job.
Is Mochi a good brand?
Yes, for festive and everyday footwear in the middle of the market, as long as you read the material line. It has a long-established company behind it and a wide range of occasion shoes. It is not a luxury house, and it does not set out to be.
- Materials vary. Many women's festive pairs have synthetic uppers, some are suede, and a few are leather. Men's loafers and formal shoes are commonly leather.
- Care follows the upper. Synthetic pairs want a clean, dry cloth, and leather pairs want a leather conditioner. Keep beaded bands away from rain and store them apart so the beads do not snag.
- Height is printed. Heel height is listed on many pairs, so check it first. A pair called a kitten heel can still be 3 inches (7.6 cm).
If your wedding is somewhere cold, the same logic applies with more cover: see our winter wedding guide for Canada, and a pointed block-heel boot like the one below gets you from car to hall. The rest of the label lives on its Mochi brand page, bags included.
Boots and bags to finish the look
The quilted sling measures 26 by 18 cm (about 10 by 7 in). The tote is listed at 37 cm wide and 50 cm tall, so it is one for daywear.
Questions people ask
Is Mochi an Indian brand?
Yes. Mochi belongs to Metro Brands, a company based in Mumbai, and its first branded outlet opened in Bengaluru in 2000. Metro Brands calls it one of its homegrown labels.
Is Mochi part of Metro?
Yes. Mochi and Metro are both labels of Metro Brands Limited. They sit side by side in the same company, under different names.
Are Mochi shoes genuine leather?
Some are. Many of the men's loafers, formal shoes and mojaris are listed with leather uppers, while most women's festive pairs are synthetic, with some suede and a few leather pairs. Each product's material line tells you which you are getting.
Are Mochi heels comfortable?
It depends on the shape and on your feet. Most pairs here list a cushioned footbed, and a 2 inch (5 cm) block heel or wedge is easier to stand in for hours than a slim heel. Check the listed heel height and wear them at home on carpet before the day.
Are Mochi heels good for a bride?
They suit a bride who wants a light, low pair for a long day, especially for the sangeet or reception. Choose an embellished block heel or an embroidered mojari, and take the shoes to your blouse and hem fitting so the lehenga is cut to the right length.
What Mochi size is a US 8 in women's?
Roughly a Mochi size 6, which the product pages give as fitting a foot of about 24.7 cm (9.7 in). General conversion charts vary, so measure your foot and go by length rather than the number.
Is Mochi a luxury brand?
No. Mochi is a mainstream Indian label aimed at young buyers and families. Its appeal is festive detail on wearable fashion footwear, not luxury materials.
About the numbers
- Metro Brands, Our Brands page, read 2026-11-03: First Metro store in Mumbai in 1955; sale of products under the Mochi brand from 1977; first Mochi-branded outlet in 2000; range covers daytime, work, evening, party and occasion wear such as weddings, for young buyers and the whole family; header reads Since 1947.
- Metro Brands, About Us page, read 2026-11-03: Rafique Malik named as chairman.
- Metro Brands release on the Lit Collection, carried by PTI and The Week, 7 October 2025: Listed on BSE and NSE; 928 stores in 206 cities as of 30 June 2025, whole company; the Diwali Lit Collection in jewel tones, metallics and shimmer.
- Media Infoline, 12 November 2021: First Mochi store on Commercial Street, Bangalore, in 2000; 150 outlets in 50+ cities.
- StartupTalky, Metro Footwear profile, 21 September 2022: Malik Tejani named as founder, foundation in 1955, company incorporated in 1977, name taken from a Mumbai cinema hall.
- Angel One, Metro Brands IPO note, December 2021: Share issue in December 2021, listing on BSE and NSE.
- Retail4Growth, 23 March 2015: Calls the chain Mochi - The Shoe Shoppe.
- Hindi-English dictionaries (Rekhta, Hamariweb), read 2026-11-03: Mochi means cobbler or shoemaker.
- General women's and men's shoe size charts published online, read 2026-11-03: India and UK share one number scale; rough US and EU conversions for women's sizes 3 to 8 and men's sizes 5 to 11; brands can vary by up to half a size.
- Product details on this store's Mochi pages, read 2026-11-03: Foot length per size, heel heights, materials, care lines and bag measurements.
