Whoever thought that one day, some men would alter what Marilyn Monroe once said: Give a girl the right shoes, and she can conquer the world.
There sure is a sizable count of men who have learnt to win their shoe game. While not many from 'the stronger sex' (the way sexists put it) are giving the 'Carrie Bradshaw' ensouled in women a run for their money yet, men are getting there soon. For it is true; you can judge a man by the shoe he wears.
A succor for men who are part of the shoe revolution is Achilles' Heel—a Mumbai-based shoe brand that provides bespoke services to the 'quintessential gentleman'. Incepted in Aug 2012, this label owned by Worli resident Nirali Ruparel Gurwada is currently a men-specific boutique for handcrafted shoes.
Post dabbling in a couple of other career options, which included being a gym instructor and a Marketing Relations Advisor for a media publication, Gurwada decided it was time to give some ground to her passion for style and fashion. "I never wanted to continue a regular job. Instead, my aim was to be a tastefully popular entrepreneur. Which is why I decided to get into fashion; it has taste, class and a mix of almost everything," she says. When one thinks of a business in fashion, the quickest step would be to turn into a fashion designer. But Gurwada was keen on being "a mover in the field." In order to give the brand an edge, she decided to customise footwear exclusively for men. Gurwada explains, "The idea was to give the brand a USP. I wanted to be a frontrunner in the market for men's bespoke shoes. It was a risk as I wasn't sure if men would shop online (that's how she first started selling). But the e-commerce industry is booming and it worked out well."
Inquiring about her entrepreneurial journey while at her little studio in a quaint by-lane of Fort, Gurwada tells us that shoe designing is yet to gain leverage in our country. "Shoe designers haven't received much traction to get a standalone show in fashion weeks here. Ideally, I would want to present my collection rather than team up with a designer who would eventually steal the show. In India, the focus is more on the clothes, never on the shoe."
Ask her about a range of other bespoke shoe services in India, and she maintains that her competitors are international brands like John Lobb. She says, "Achilles Heels is a home-grown, accessible luxury brand. It is neither a high-street brand nor it is a Gucci just yet. We bridge the gap between perception and price."
With prices ranging from Rs. 5000 for ready-to-wear (RTW), and Rs. 15000 and above for bespoke shoes, in time Gurwada aims to become the "Jimmy Choo or Louboutin of the Indian market." She also customises women's footwear on demand. So if you have an 'Achilles' Heel' for shoes, you may want to stop by.
- Avarcas and espadrilles for women
- Smoking slippers for men (Hugh Hefner iconic style)
- Shoe colour: Brown is definitely the new black
Browse the Achilles' Heels e-boutique at www.achillesheel.co. You can also visit their facebook page at facebook.com/achillesheel.co
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