Vaz Rajan is an Indian born Australian currently based in Paris. Growing up travelling between the middle east, asia and Australia with his family and as a result, having to constantly adapt to disparate cultures would greatly influence his outlook towards life. After training under a master shoemaker and tailor, he decided to start his own project in December 2008.

Borrowing from his life of travels and combining it with his deep-rooted influences in art, culture, history, music and mysticism, Vaz filters his references into a rigorously minimal wardrobe with an emphasis on craftsmanship, versatility and permanence. Project Substrata chooses to focus deeper into finding new possibilities by subverting traditional hand crafting techniques used in the many stages of development in each respective craft.

Vaz Rajan officially formed his company and presented the first capsule of handmade shoes in Paris in June 2010.