Pune: City-based working professional Purva Sankhala was prompted to experiment with customized shoes because of her flat foot and the discomfort she felt wearing the hard-sole shoes available in the market.
The comfort she found in her custom-made shoes that came with an arc support made her a fan of such shoes.
“I got shoes customized for myself and my husband for our wedding. I have a flat foot and every time I bought shoes , I ended up with hard soles. This made me realise that I should try customized shoes. I finally got them made for my wedding and have been using them since. They are economical as compared to designer shoes available in the market and last for a long time. I got exactly what I was looking for in terms of design and comfort,” said Sankhala.
The desire to feel comfortable as well as create a style statement has prompted Punekars to turn towards
bespoke shoes. Moreover, customised shoes offer one the option of being introduced to newer fashions which are not available in stores.
A wide variety of shoe styles have come into the market, courtesy Oxford’s, Derby’s, Brogues, Monk straps and many others, prompting people to wear something unique. With customized shoes, not only are people experimenting with design but also colours.
“We have customers who ask for shoes in different types of leather and many even opt for coloured leather. We make shoes in red, blue, printed leather, velvet, and much more. The price of handmade leather shoes that we deal in ranges between Rs 9,000 and Rs 60,000 a pair. The cost varies based on the type of leather one wants to wear. Despite the heavy cost, people are buying customized shoes. My workshop made 600 customized shoes in 2017,” said Rahul Kale of Prabhat Corporation and Baalky, located at Katraj.
Another shoemaker, Naman Shah, who launched Cuero Handcrafted Luxury in 2014, said that handcrafted shoes provide a unique look that often creates a style statement. “People look for something unique and handcrafted shoes do just that. I have had a customer who told me that during an international trip he was asked whether he was wearing Gucci shoes. In reality, he was wearing shoes made by us,” he explained.
Shah said that 4 years since the launch of Cuero, he has seen 100% growth in demand. “With a lot more people going on foreign trips, they have now seen the craft of shoemaking in other countries and know that a pair of handmade shoes will be unique and also provide a better fit. I have had customers who came to experiment but became our regular customers. They keep coming back as the shoes are also comfortable and long lasting. Around 75% of my customers are aged above 35,” he stated.
