Abhishek Sharma, an engineer-turned-entrepreneur from Agra, founded dmodot in Delhi in 2016 with a vision to blend India's artisanal shoemaking heritage with contemporary minimalist design. Previously known as Dameriino and originally founded in 2014, dmodot makes handcrafted leather footwear in sizes 36 to 50, secured ₹1.35 crore from a ₹40 crore investment pool on JioHotstar's Pitch to Get Rich from Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra, and Malaika Arora, and is now expanding internationally across the UAE, UK, and Singapore.
Dameriino, a Delhi Workshop, and a Love for Handcrafted Leather That Started Everything
The story of dmodot begins with a name that most people have never heard: Dameriino. Founded originally in 2014 by Abhishek Sharma, Suhail Dhaul, and Pranav Sawhney in New Delhi, the brand was born from the founders' genuine love for handcrafted leather footwear. That love was rooted in a conviction that India's tradition of skilled artisanal shoemaking was one of the country's most undervalued and underrepresented creative legacies.
The brand rebranded to dmodot, pronounced d-m-o-dot, with a name that carries its own philosophy. The dots are people. The brand is built on the belief that like the dot, simplicity stands out. It is alive, never distracting. And the dot knows it all.
Abhishek Sharma, an engineer-turned-entrepreneur from Agra, took the lead as Founder and CEO, bringing both technical precision and design sensitivity to a craft that demands both. What began as a small Delhi workshop in 2016 evolved into a celebrated luxury brand known for handcrafted loafers, mules, mojris, oxfords, brogues, boots, and India's most thoughtful inclusive sizing range, shoes available from size 36 to 50, serving customers long excluded from premium footwear options.
The brand has been featured in YourStory, MensXP, and Vogue India for its role in redefining modern Indian elegance.
Quiet Luxury, Inclusive Sizing, Ethical Sourcing, and a Workshop Philosophy That Scales
The boldest product decision dmodot made was to commit entirely to the philosophy of quiet luxury: refined, timeless, and human-centric design that lets the craftsmanship speak rather than the branding.
Every pair of dmodot shoes is handcrafted in India by skilled artisans using ethically sourced premium leather and sustainable techniques. The product range spans loafers, mules, mojris, oxfords, brogues, monkstraps, boots, sneakers, and sandals for both men and women. Shoes for men are priced between ₹4,500 and ₹6,500. Slippers, sandals, and mules are priced from ₹3,000 to ₹4,000, positioning the brand firmly in the accessible luxury sweet spot.
The brand manufactures in limited quantities, delivering products within seven days, ensuring quality control at every stage. The inclusive sizing from 36 to 50 addressed a genuine and deeply underserved market gap in Indian footwear, a decision that built loyal customer relationships with people who had spent years unable to find well-crafted shoes that fit.
The shoe names are drawn from European languages, lending the brand a post-national aesthetic that connects India's artisanal heritage with a contemporary global sensibility. Plans include collaborating with leading Indian designers on limited-edition collections, extending the quiet luxury positioning into exclusive capsule drops that further elevate the brand's design credentials.
The Pitch to Get Rich Moment — A ₹40 Crore Pool, Four Icons, and One Engineer Who Won Them All
In November 2025, dmodot appeared on JioHotstar's flagship business reality series Pitch to Get Rich, produced by Dharmatic Entertainment in association with the Fashion Entrepreneur Fund. The show ran for eight episodes, showcasing 14 visionary fashion founders before a panel of Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra, and Malaika Arora, with an impressive ₹40 crore total investment pool available across all episodes.
Abhishek Sharma's pitch was described as calm, purpose-driven, and compelling. His segment resonated deeply with audiences for its emphasis on craftsmanship, sustainability, and modern Indian identity, earning appreciation from judges for representing Indian-made luxury with global appeal.
dmodot secured ₹1.35 crore for a 30% equity stake, valuing the company at ₹4.5 crore, making it one of the first homegrown handcrafted footwear brands to attract major national capital through an OTT platform.
"Pitch to Get Rich was more than a competition. It was a dialogue about purpose in design," Abhishek said. "It reaffirmed that Indian craftsmanship, when presented with quiet confidence, can stand shoulder to shoulder with global luxury."
Post-funding, dmodot plans to open exclusive experience studios in Delhi and Mumbai, strengthen international e-commerce across the UAE, UK, and Singapore, collaborate with leading Indian designers on limited-edition collections, and double production capacity while continuing to prioritise artisan-led processes.
1.Brand Inception & Rebranding (2014–2016):Originally launched as Dameriino in 2014, rebranding to dmodot in 2016 from a small workshop in South Delhi focused on handcrafted leather footwear.
2.Quiet Luxury & Sizing Innovation:Established an in-house artisan network and expanded size offerings from 36 to 50 to cater to an underserved market.
3.Pitch to Get Rich Investment (Nov 2025):Secured ₹1.35 crore for a 30% equity stake (₹4.5 crore valuation) on JioHotstar's Pitch to Get Rich series.
4.Global Expansion & Offline Footprint:Initiated plans to launch experience studios in Delhi and Mumbai, while expanding international D2C operations across UAE, UK, and Singapore.
Scale and Real-World Impact
| Enterprise Parameter | Key Metrics & Operational Details |
| Founder & CEO | Abhishek Sharma (Graduate of PICT, Pune; born in Agra) |
| Origin & Location | Founded 2014 (as Dameriino) / Relaunched 2016 (dmodot), Shahpur Jat, South Delhi |
| Product Portfolio | Handcrafted Loafers, Mules, Mojris, Oxfords, Brogues, Boots, Sneakers, Sandals |
| Price Point | ₹3,000 to ₹6,500 (Accessible Luxury Segment) |
| Inclusive Sizing | Sizes 36 to 50 |
| Series Investment | ₹1.35 Crore for 30% Equity Stake at ₹4.5 Crore Valuation (Pitch to Get Rich, Nov 2025) |
| Show Investors | Akshay Kumar, Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra, Malaika Arora (₹40 Cr Pool) |
| Operational Scale | 7 Employees (as of May 2026); 7-day fulfillment turnaround |
| Growth Roadmap | Delhi & Mumbai Experience Studios; Expansion into UAE, UK, and Singapore |
| Competitors | Louis Stitch, Italian Shoes, Craft and Glory |
The Most Enduring Luxury Brands Are the Ones That Whisper Rather Than Shout
The sharpest lesson from dmodot's journey is this: in a market full of brands competing for attention through volume, the most distinctive and enduring luxury positioning is the one that trusts quality to speak entirely for itself.
Quiet luxury is not a trend. It is a philosophy. And Abhishek Sharma understood that philosophy before it became a global conversation, building a brand that embodied it from day one in a small Delhi workshop.
He was an engineer who chose artisans. A founder who chose craftsmanship over scale. A leader who built inclusive sizing into a luxury brand when the category had spent decades excluding the very customers it should have been serving.
"Indian craftsmanship, when presented with quiet confidence, can stand shoulder to shoulder with global luxury," he says.
He built in Shahpur Jat. He won on JioHotstar. And the quiet, handcrafted shoe made in South Delhi is now heading to the UAE, the UK, and Singapore.
The dot knows it all. And it always has.
Sources
Apparel Resources
First India
InFashionBusiness
YourStory
Ciceroni
Tracxn
