Customized footwear options are now readily available with a wide range of materials and are also easy on the pocket.

What would be the number of runs made by Mahindra Singh Dhoni if he were to play with shoes made for Baichung Bhutia? What about Sania Mirza playing at Wimbledon wearing high-heeled leather shoes?

All this sounds impractical and non-conducive for the job involved. The shoes seem to mismatch with the functions that they are meant to perform. Players need performance shoes based on the nature of sport and also on the nature of the ground. Military applications and mountaineering require leather shoes that can sustain tough weather conditions. When it comes to fashion, every shoe wearer may have his or her own choice.

Footwear is a major component of the leather industry in India. As per the figures available from Central Leather Research Institute, Chennai, India contributes about 14 percent of the global leather footwear production. In terms of shoe production capacity, India produces around 2100 million pairs of shoes comprising leather shoes, leather shoe uppers and non-leather shoes.

There are around 4000 footwear production units in India. A good number of small-scale units amount to around 80 percent of the total production. Furthermore, India exports around 115 million pairs, which means that around 95 percent of footwear production goes to the domestic market.

Now, as the domestic market itself forms the major chunk of sales, the choice of shoes differs from customer to customer. Right from individual customers to corporate customers, the design, color, material and quality of the footwear differ and so does the price.

“Only time we refuse making a shoe to a customer is when we can’t get the sole. Once it is available, we can work upon on any design and material.” Kamal, Oscar Shoes

This is where, we at DARE, tried to understand an option that caters to the need of customers on individual basis. It is called custom shoemaking. Right from a cobbler that sits in a corner shop of a village or a town to the bespoke shoemaker in plush markets of metro-cities, custom shoemaking has its own clientele, USPs and barriers. We tried to talk to them individually and fetch some information.

The Traditional Cobbler
A low-end shoemaker or a cobbler is a traditional example of a custom shoemaker. Before footwear technology started incorporating machinery, cobblers and shoemakers provided custom shoes to their customers.

At this level, the shoemaker usually works himself or sometimes involves some other cobblers to work for him. The business involves a dual-model. The first model is taking orders and preparing shoes on demand. They take the measurement of customer’s foot on a paper. Selection of material, style and color is offered. But these options are limited because the cobbler depends on limited sources that provide raw material. The main point of feasibility of a shoe being custom-made is the choice of the sole.

Ram Kishan, a shoemaker in Old Gurgaon mentioned that the size of the sole determines whether he can custom-make a shoe or not. If the size is below a specific number, he refuses the customer who in turn has no choice but to buy shoes from the shops.

The second model involves preparing shoes incorporating style and design of high-end shoes using cheaper material. This preparation creates showpieces or marketing pairs that youngsters can pick up. They select a design and ask whether their choice of size, material and color could be incorporated in that.

Price Range: Rs. 200-1500/-
USP:
1. Cheap price
2. Choice of style
3. Ease of repair

Customer Profile:
1. Youngsters wanting design/style at a cheap price
2. Senior citizens not oriented towards paying too much
3. Laborers and workers
4. Householders who have been like traditional customers

Concerns:
1. Limited availability of material
2. Time taken to make a shoe (usually seven to ten days)

The Bespoke Shoemaker (high-end custom shoemaking)
A bespoke shoemaker involves a bit of technology and machinery in catering to high-end customers, who might need custom shoes for very specific purposes, even like mountaineering and military applications, etc.

Special designer shoes for models and celebrities, cowboy and long shoes, corporate uniform shoes, special orthopedic shoes for people having foot-related problems, height increasing elevator shoes, military shoes, and trekking shoes are some of the variations that can be addressed with this business model.

After the selection of material, style, color and design, the measurement is sent to a small scale factory where orders are processed. Usually, orders are processed on a day-to-day basis where they are collected during the daytime and are sent to the manufacturing unit in the evening.

A very salient option provided in this business model is replicating very high-end shoes worn by celebrities, actors and models at an affordable price-range. Kamal of Oscar Shoes, Delhi stated that they get good number of orders around this option. Shoes worn by a celebrity in films and other functions become an instant hit with the customers and they want the same style and design at an affordable price.

Comments (6)

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Nike Air Max
written by Nike Air Max, July 27, 2010

Frankly speaking,I have really learned a lot from you .And now I know more than before.

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COOL!!!!
written by JACOB, July 27, 2010

HI GUYS ,
I AM REALLY LOOKING FWD FOR SOME CUSTOME MADE SHOES ,
COULD YOU PLESE ADVICE ME SOME GOOD PLACES ....
MY EMAIL ID IS JACOB@SOUHALLTRAVEL.COM


PLEASE REPLY

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air jordan shoes
written by air jordan shoes, May 14, 2010

i like it ,thank you

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Niceshoemart
written by http://www.niceshoemart.com, May 13, 2010

Everybody is talking about the new cool and trendy pair of shoes, but i believe nothing comes in the match of the Niceshoemart which has something to offer for everyone.
Niceshoemart

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...
written by Aaron Thomas, May 13, 2010

Hey it would be very funny and cool if saniya mirza wear Customized footwear, but really customized shoes is the good option even last month I bought one pair of shoes from Niceshoemart and got a great design and huge collection their.

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written by Dhananjay Kelkar, January 28, 2010

Only the tip of the iceburg is seen.

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